Timing is Everything
by Dmander4483
Summary: Newlyweds Oliver and Shane embark on an unexpected journey. (Shane/Oliver) (Rita/Norman)
1. Chapter 1

**Timing is Everything**

 **This is my first Signed, Sealed, Delivered fanfic. I do not own these wonderful characters, they belong to Martha Williamson**

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Chapter 1:

3 minutes

The timer was set and her hands were shaking. She couldn't sit still, so she paced. Back and forth. Back and forth. She was nauseous again. She didn't know how to feel right now. Scared? Definitely scared. Anxious? Absolutely anxious. Excited? Is it too soon to be excited? Oh boy, she was definitely feeling dizzy. Has it been long enough? She checked the timer….

2 minutes

It had only been a minute?! How can that be?! She continued her internal pondering while she watched the seconds tick by. She carefully weighed the pros and cons in her head. If she was, it would change her life forever—their life. They had talked about it, but they had both agreed to wait until they had been married a little longer. After all, it had only been 3 months. 3 wonderful months of being married to the most wonderful man in the world. Dear Lord, were they ready if she was?! How would she tell him?

1 minute

But then again, maybe she wasn't at all—maybe the test would be negative and all of this worrying would have been for nothing. But how would she feel if she wasn't? Deep down it's something she's always wanted. If she truly wasn't, would this ever happen for them? What if they kept putting it off and it NEVER happened for them? She looked at the timer again…

10...9…8…

Her heart was racing…

7…6…5…

She truly felt like she was going to be sick…

4…3...2…

This is it….

1…the timer went off, startling her from her trance. All she had to do now was look at the test and she would know. One way or another, she would finally know. She walked over to the bathroom counter and slowly picked up the test, her eyes fixating on the small window. She gasped, nervous tears filling her eyes as her hand instinctively came up to rest on her flat stomach. She didn't think it was possible to feel so many emotions all at once. The feeling that stood out the most was pure love. Love for the new life growing inside her that she had created with her soulmate.

As shocked as she was, there was no denying the truth that she had suspected all week. Shane O'Toole was going to have a baby. Now she just had to figure out how to tell Oliver and pray he was ready to take on this unexpected turn of events with her in their new life together.

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"There you are, Shane. I was just about to go looking for you." Oliver exclaimed as she walked into the DLO.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to find Hazel to, uh see if she, uh, had anything for us from Terminal Annex. Couldn't find her." Shane nervously laughed, then quickly changed the subject, "What did you need?" Lucky for Shane, Oliver was too distracted by his newest find to pick up on his wife's odd behavior. Rita, however, was carefully observing her best friend. Something was off and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"We have a lead. In the letter Natalie mentioned that she would often cheer Grant on as he 'went for the strike '. We believed that she had been referring to baseball, that maybe he was a pitcher. But what if she wasn't referring to baseball at all?" Oliver watched Shane as she quickly caught up to what he was implying.

"Bowling! She was referring to bowling a strike!"

"Exactly. We were also able to make out the word 'panther'. There is a bowling league called "The Panthers" that plays just up the street. Shall we go?" As Oliver put his arm out for her to take, Rita quickly interrupted. "Actually Oliver, can Norman go with you? I wanted to take Shane to lunch. Norman and I have been so busy with Francis that I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with my best friend outside of work." Rita gave Shane a look that went unnoticed by Oliver. Shane instantly knew that Rita had ulterior motives for their lunch.

"Of course, Rita, that's a wonderful idea." He smiled then grabbed Shane's hand and placed a gentle kiss on it. "I will see you later. Enjoy your lunch." She smiled back and replied, "We will. I'll bring you back something." Oliver and Norman quickly exited the DLO, leaving a curious Rita and a very nervous Shane.

Not many words were exchanged as the two ladies made their way out of the office and set off for the Mailbox Grille.

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"So Rita, how is Francis doing?" As soon as they sat down, Shane tried desperately to keep Rita from interrogating her. Asking Rita about her and Norman's adopted two year old son would hopefully do the trick.

"Oh he is just perfect. Last night he finally told me that he loved me. I can't imagine our lives without him." Rita and Norman had officially adopted Francis Alexander Dorman a mere 6 months ago. His parents had both died in a car accident when he was 8 months old. Francis only had one living relative—a grandfather, Adam, who was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer soon after taking custody of him. The Postables had delivered a lost letter to Adam from his late sister. They all had an instant connection to Francis, however none as much as Rita. Adam knew that he wouldn't be around to watch Francis grow, so he asked Rita and Norman if they would adopt him. They instantly agreed to give that precious boy a forever home.

"I couldn't be happier for you and Norman. Francis was meant to be a Dorman." Shane gushed, gently squeezing her friend's hand.

"Thank you, Shane. You and Oliver have been so supportive in all this. We couldn't hope for better friends." She smiled, quickly gaining her composure so she could dive into the real reason for whisking Shane off to lunch. "You mentioned earlier that you were looking for Hazel and couldn't find her. Where did you look?"

Shane gulped, "Well, you know, out on the floor."

"Really? Well that's odd because I was actually on the floor talking to Hazel right before you walked into the DLO. I'm not sure how we didn't see each other."

"Oh, umm, that's really odd. I must have walked right passed you ladies." She looked down, suddenly finding her silverware very interesting.

"Shane, is everything okay? You are my best friend and I can see that something is on your mind. Please talk to me."

Shane sighed, maybe it would help her to get Rita's perspective. "I wasn't looking for Hazel earlier. I was actually taking a test…and the test was positive."

"A test? What kind of a test?" Rita's brows furrowed. She wasn't catching on to what Shane was trying to tell her. Shane raised her eyebrows at Rita. "A POSITIVE test, Rita."

It took a moment, but Rita gasped, finally catching on to what Shane was trying to tell her. "Oh wow! You're pregnant!" She squealed with delight.

"Rita, please keep your voice down. You're the only one I've told."

"Oh okay, sorry Shane. I won't say a word." Rita dropped her voice to a loud whisper. "This is the best news! Francis is going to have a playmate!" She clapped her hands together and continued, "We are going to have so much fun shopping for the baby together. You and Oliver are going to be great parents! I can't wait to —" She suddenly stopped talking, noticing that Shane had paled and looked incredibly apprehensive. "Shane, aren't you happy about the baby?"

"Oh Rita, of course I'm happy! I've only known for about an hour or so, and yet I already love this baby more than I thought possible. It's just that I'm…I'm scared." She looked at Rita, tears glistening in her eyes and threatening to fall down her cheeks. "Oliver and I both had a parent that walked out on us. What if I'm not a good mother? What if we aren't ready? What if—". The tears were freely falling now as Rita grabbed Shane's hand in order to stop her rant.

"Shane, you are going to be an incredible mother. I've seen you with Francis and so many other children that we've helped over the years. You have so much love to give and you have a wonderful husband that will be there with you every step of the way. I know that you've both had parents that have left, I can understand why you're afraid. But you've also both had loving parents that stayed and raised you to be the selfless, admirable people that you are today."

"But what if Oliver isn't happy about this happening right now? You know he's always saying 'trust the timing'. But what if he's wrong? What if the timing isn't right for him…for us?"

"He loves you more than anything, I knew that to be true, probably long before he ever admitted it to himself. This baby is a part of you and a symbol of the love you share. He will love this baby from the moment you tell him, trust me." Shane got up and hugged Rita.

"Thank you, Rita. You always know what to say to make me feel better. I pray that you're right and I promise to tell Oliver soon. I just need some time. Would you mind keeping this between us until I'm ready to tell him?"

"Of course. Your secret is safe with me." The two friends continued their lunch, discussing much more casual topics. As they finished their meals, Shane was deep in thought, contemplating what her next move would be.

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Later that night, Shane woke with a start, trying carefully not to wake her sleeping husband as she crawled out of bed. She made a beeline for the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind her. She turned the faucet on to mask the noise, then barely made it to the toilet just in time to empty her stomach contents into it. Whoever came up with the term "morning sickness" most certainly did not know what they were talking about. Once she was through and felt the color return to her face, she slowly got up and quickly brushed her teeth before sneaking back into bed.

Oliver's arm snaked around her stomach, pulling her close to him while mumbling a sleepy "missed you", seemingly unaware of the reason for Shane's absence. As comfortable as she was in his arms, Shane couldn't fall back asleep. She was too deep in thought, desperately trying to figure out how and when she would tell Oliver that there was a baby—their baby— growing inside her womb.

She finally decided that she would keep the news to herself for a couple of more days so she had time to fully process everything. Once she was content that she had made the right choice and didn't have to worry about telling him at that exact moment, she nuzzled deeper into Oliver's warm embrace and finally drifted off to sleep.

That night Shane dreamt of rocking chairs, bed time stories and a sweet cherub-faced little one calling her "Mommy".

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Should I continue? Please review and let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow! I am so humbled by all of the wonderful reviews, liked, follows and comments. You are all wonderful for giving my story a chance!_

 **These wonderful characters belong to the wonderfully talented Martha Williamson.**

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Chapter 2:

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and birds could be heard just outside the bedroom window. Shane's arm instinctively reached out, seeking Oliver's touch. He wasn't there, however he couldn't have been gone long because his side of the bed was still warm. Shane sat up and immediately smelled the fresh aroma of coffee brewing. She got out of bed and eagerly made her way to the kitchen, longing to be in her husband's arms. Oliver was facing the coffee pot, back towards her, and she froze. In that moment, Shane was overcome with so much emotion. That wonderful man was her husband and they were going to have a baby. She never thought in a million years that she would be lucky enough to find someone as perfect as Oliver to share a family with.

Shane was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed that Oliver had turned around and was now carefully watching her with a very worried expression on his face. "Shane, what's the matter?" He quickly walked over to her and cradled her face, wiping away the tears that she hadn't even realized had fallen.

"Nothing is the matter, Oliver. I just love you so much and I can't believe how lucky I am to have found you." She put her arms around his neck and leaned in, gently touching her lips to his. Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. As they both breathlessly pulled away, they stared into each other's eyes and Oliver whispered, "No, my love, I am the lucky one."

"I missed you. Please don't tell me that waking up without you by my side is going to become a habit." She playfully pulled at the collar of his t-shirt. "I've become very spoiled having your handsome face be the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up. I refuse to give that up."

Oliver lightly chuckled and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I'm sorry, my beautiful wife, I won't let it happen again." He brushed a few stray pieces of hair from her eyes and tucked them behind her ear before continuing. "When I woke up, you looked so peaceful. Seeing as how you were up several times in the middle of the night, I couldn't bare the thought of disturbing your peaceful slumber."

Oliver looked at her inquisitively as Shane's eyes unconsciously grew to the size of saucers. She thought he had been asleep, but she should have know better. Every night since their wedding had been spent cocooned together, arms and legs entangled. Of course he had noticed her getting up several times throughout the night, he had just been too much of a gentleman to say anything. The fact that he was bringing it up now showed that he was worried. She had to think quickly, he was staring at her awaiting a response.

"Oh! I, uh, couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you. I had a lot of coffee yesterday, must have just been too much caffeine." She gave him a nervous smile, searching his eyes for a sign that he bought her story.

"Speaking of coffee, my love, I have your morning cup all ready for you, just the way you like it." As Oliver walked over to the counter to grab the mug filled with her favorite blend, she could tell that he was unconvinced of her middle of the night restlessness. She was thankful, however, that he was letting it drop for the time being. She happily took the mug from his hands and as she went to take a sip, a horrid thought crossed her mind. Was she even allowed to have coffee? She's sure that she read somewhere that caffeine isn't good for pregnant women and Shane wanted to do everything right with this pregnancy. Oliver was already suspicious, how was she going to explain her refusal to drink this warm, decadent beverage?

Oliver continued to closely observe his wife. Something was definitely off, he just couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. A part of him wanted to nonchalantly interrogate her, however he respected her far too much to do that. The last thing he would ever want to do is have Shane question his trust in her. It took them too many years to get to the happy place that they are now and he wasn't going to ruin it just because her insatiable curiosity had rubbed off on him. He promised himself that he would do his best to let her come to him with whatever was bothering her…the key phrase being "do his best". If his worry for her well being increased, he may just have to gently prod her, just to ensure that she was truly okay.

Shane could see that Oliver was carefully watching her every move. She brought the cup up to her lips and took a mock sip before setting it on the kitchen table, hoping she could distract her husband enough to not notice her reluctance to partake in her traditional morning beverage. "So what would you like to do today?"

"Well, I was hoping I might convince my beautiful, enchantress of a wife to take a stroll through Washington Park with me. Perhaps we might even enjoy a picnic there?" Oliver walked over to Shane with a sly smile on his face and grabbed her hand, placing a soft kiss on it. Maybe some romance would be just what she needed to get her mind off of whatever was bothering her. "This is the first full weekend off that we've had in quite some time, I thought it would be nice to just be together."

Shane could feel her cheeks turn pink. It never ceased to amaze her that he could still make her blush. "That sounds perfect. There's no place I'd rather be then spending the weekend with just you." She couldn't help herself, she grabbed Oliver and seared her lips to his in a heated kiss. As they parted, their eyes locked and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of their beating hearts.

Oliver held onto Shane, refusing to break eye contact. "I love you, my Shane, more than anything in this world. I hope you know that you are my everything. I will never let anything separate us." Shane could feel the tears rush to her eyes. She really needed to work on getting control over her emotions. She didn't want Oliver to find out about the baby just yet, she wanted to be the one to tell him in her own, special way.

"Oh Oliver, you truly are a remarkable man. Words cannot even begin to describe how much I love you. You are my heart and my soul." Their lips met again, and it was in that moment that Shane's worries were gone. Sure, it may come as a huge surprise to him, but Oliver loved her and he would love this baby. She needed to trust in her husband and trust in God that the timing was right. As their kiss continued, she made a decision: before the weekend was over, Shane would tell Oliver about their baby.

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Oliver busied himself with the task of packing the picnic basket as Shane finished getting ready. He was just about done when he noticed the coffee mug sitting on the kitchen table. 'How very odd,' Oliver thought to himself. Shane's mother has given her that mug, along with the matching set, when her grandmother had passed. It was handmade and Shane was a stickler for immediately washing it after each use for fear that the coffee might stain the rose colored porcelain. As he went to retrieve it, he was even more flabbergasted. The coffee inside had been untouched. How could that be? Shane never missed her morning cup of coffee, it was just unheard of. In fact, it was more often than not that by this time of day she had usually consumed at least two cups of coffee. Oliver's mind was reeling now, however he was not even close to reaching any sort of conclusion. He decided to put aside his thoughts for another time so he could enjoy the afternoon with his wife. He quickly dumped out the coffee and washed the cup, then grabbed the picnic basket and made his way to the family room just as Shane met him at the door.

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Shane and Oliver wandered through Washington Park, hand in hand, looking for the perfect picnic spot. They walked up a small, grassy hill and found a secluded spot just under a large oak tree. Oliver laid a blanket down and held Shane's hand as he helped her to the ground. Once situated, they began unpacking the picnic basket that Oliver had thoughtfully prepared. Shane's mouth was watering as she surveyed the egg salad, fresh cut strawberries with yogurt and sliced cucumbers and hummus. To complete their romantic lunch, she spied 2 pieces of lemon cake still hiding in the basket. She realized that she really hadn't eaten breakfast this morning and could not wait to indulge in the feast before her. As she began dividing up their portions onto plates, she heard a loud _**pop**_ that startled her. 'Oh no,' she panicked. 'Oliver brought wine!' How was she going to get out of drinking it without raising even more suspicion?

"For you, my love." Oliver said as he smiled and handed her a glass of wine. He raised his glass to her and toasted, "Here's to us. We were destined to find each other and I couldn't ask for a better person to share my life with." They lightly clinked their glasses together, gazing into each other's eyes. Oliver took a sip of his wine and waited expectedly for Shane to do the same. It was pure luck that in that very moment a group of teenagers on rollerblades loudly zoomed by on the sidewalk, briefly distracting Oliver. Shane took advantage of the opportunity and quickly tossed the contents of her glass behind her, thankful there was no one in the path of the alcoholic mixture. As Oliver looked back towards her, his eyes zeroed in on the empty glass. He had to do a double take…how had she finished her drink so quickly? "I'm pleased that you like the wine. Would you care for some more?"

"No!" Shane abruptly responded, then corrected with, "I mean, no thank you. I really shouldn't have anymore. I didn't sleep very well last night and too much wine will make me tired. I would hate to fall asleep and miss out on our time together." She gave him a flirtatious smile and then leaned in for a kiss, Oliver's hands instantly getting lost in Shane's hair. When they parted, Oliver gave her a boyish grin and blushed. "Well we certainly can't have you falling asleep just yet, now can we?"

Shane giggled as he pecked her on the lips once more. "Mr. O'Toole, you are distracting me from eating my lunch."

"I do apologize, Mrs. O'Toole. Why don't we finish our lunch and then we can head back home. I'm eager to get you all to myself." Oliver eyed her suggestively.

"My thoughts exactly." As they ate their lunch, Shane couldn't help the butterflies from dancing around in her stomach. This was truly going to be a memorable weekend.

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Here's chapter 2! Up next, Oliver finally finds out Shane's news!


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you so much to everyone for the continued support! I appreciate it so much!_

 **I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the wonderfully talented Martha Williamson.**

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Chapter 3:

Shane worked on setting the table while Oliver finished making their omelets. They got up early every Sunday morning and made breakfast together right before church. Soon after they had become engaged, Shane started going to church with Oliver. She knew how important faith and religion were to him and that her giving God a chance would mean the world to him. She actually looked forward to Sunday service now, and not just because she got to hear her handsome husband sing in the choir. Shane could hardly believe that in a few short months, she and Oliver would be attending church with their baby. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Oliver come up behind her. She gasped as he wrapped his arm around her and used his other hand to brush her hair to the side, leaving a trail of kisses on her neck.

Shane giggled, "Mmm if you keep doing that, we'll never make it to church."

Oliver held her tighter and whispered in her ear, "I can't help myself, you are so unbelievably enchanting." He nibbled on her ear, then Shane spun around in his arms and drew him in for a slow, sensual kiss. As they parted, their eyes locked. "Have I told you yet today how incredibly beautiful you are? "

"I believe you have, Mr. O'Toole." She smiled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I also believe that if you don't stop distracting me, we're going to be late."

"I suppose you're right, my love. I appreciate you trying to keep me focused." Oliver grinned and kissed her forehead. He walked over to the kitchen counter, grabbing their plates and placing them on the kitchen table. "I'll just have to wait until we return home to ravish you." Shane blushed in anticipation as Oliver pulled her chair out for her. They both took their seats and began to eat the delicious meal.

As Shane took a bite, her stomach plummeted and her face immediately paled. "Shane, are you okay?" She dropped her fork and made a mad dash for the bathroom, quickly throwing up the little she had eaten that morning. In her panicked state, she had forgotten to close the bathroom door and was genuinely surprised to feel Oliver gently holding her hair to keep it from getting in her face. He soothingly rubbed her back and then helped her to stand when she was done. Shane was embarrassed, but still too shaky to say anything or even worry about her husband finding out her secret on his own. Oliver had remained silent, the wheels in his head turning. He closely watched as his wife walked over to the bathroom sink, rinsing her mouth out with mouthwash and splashing water on her face. Once Shane had composed herself and she felt that her brain was working again, she turned around and faced Oliver, who carried the most worried look in his features that she had ever seen. It was in that moment that Shane devised her plan on how she was going to break the joyful news to her husband. Now all she had to do was convince Oliver to go to church without her, which she knew would present itself to be easier said than done.

"My goodness, Shane, are you alright?!" Oliver walked over to her and felt her forehead, somewhat relieved that it didn't appear that she had a fever. "Let's get you into bed." Before Shane could even respond, Oliver had picked her up and began walking towards their bedroom.

"Oliver, please put me down, I promise you that I can walk. This really isn't necessary." Shane protested, although she loved the feeling of being carried by her husband.

"You most certainly are not fine!" Oliver lovingly placed her on the bed and began covering her with blankets, worry etched in his brows.

Shane grabbed his forearms to get him to stop and then cupped his face in her hands. "Oliver, please stop. I was feeling a little queasy this morning and I should have gone with my instinct and not tried to eat anything. Now that I let it all out, I feel a lot better." Oliver seemed to relax a little, however the look of concern was very present on his handsome face. "I'll make you a deal. You go on to church without me, and I'll stay home and rest. By the time you get home I should be feeling much better." She crossed her fingers and hoped this would work.

"There is no way that I am leaving you in this state." He was standing his ground and Shane was getting aggravated.

"Please go to church, Oliver. I would feel awful if you had to miss and the choir is counting on you." He still wasn't budging. "How about you take my cell phone with you. You can put it on vibrate and keep it in your pocket. If I need you to come home, I will call you from the home phone." She tenderly grasped his hands in hers. "Please? I promise to let you take care of me the rest of the day without complaint."

Oliver sighed in defeat. He hated leaving her when she didn't feel well, but it seemed as though she really didn't want him to miss church and he didn't want to upset her further. "Okay, I'll go. But only if you promise me that you will call me if you need me, without hesitation."

Shane gave him a smile and kissed his hand. "I promise, Oliver. If I need you to come home, I will call you."

Oliver leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Okay. I will be back as soon as I can. If you think of anything that you want me to pick up on the way home, please call me and let me know." Oliver reluctantly grabbed Shane's cell phone and slipped it in his pocket. It was quite ironic that this horrid electronic device was giving him a huge sense of comfort. He made his way to the door and turned back to look at his wife. "I love you. I'll see you soon."

"I love you, too." Shane gave him an encouraging smile as he left the room. She waited a couple of minutes and listened intently for the door. Once she heard it close, she got out of bed and carefully peered out the window. As soon as she spied Oliver's car back out of the driveway, she quickly got to work on her plan. She had laid awake in bed half the night trying to come up with the perfect way to tell Oliver about their baby. It had actually been sheer luck that she had the bout with morning sickness earlier, presenting the opportunity to stay home alone. Though she hated to worry her husband, she wanted today to be perfect. As soon as he returned home, their lives were never going to be the same again.

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Oliver was a man that preferred to follow the rules, especially when it came to obeying traffic laws. He thought it to be preposterous when he saw people talking on their cell phones while they drove, speeding by like they had no care in the world. But when Oliver walked out of church, the only thought that came to mind was getting home to Shane as quickly as possible. He didn't even care that he was going 7 miles over the speed limit, he needed to be with her. He had been worried about her over the past few days and he never should have let her talk him into leaving her at home this morning. His wife, however, was fiercely independent and had insisted that she would be fine and wanted him to go to Sunday service without her. He kept replaying their morning together in his head. He felt like a horrible husband for not staying home to take care of his wife, God would have surely understood. He was beyond relieved when he finally pulled into the driveway. He got out of the car and raced up the walkway, longing to get to Shane.

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Oliver unlocked the front door as quickly as possible and walked inside. He was ready to make a beeline for the bedroom when the 3 yellow roses sitting on the small table in the entryway caught his eye. He gently grabbed a rose and brought it close to his nose, inhaling its sweet scent. He smiled, as yellow roses always remind him of Shane and second chances. It was then that he noticed there was a small, heart shaped card laying on the table under the other roses. He picked it up as he began to read his wife's words.

 _ **Oliver,**_

 _ **My life didn't truly begin until the day I met you. You have given me so much throughout our journey together and I want to show you just how much you mean to me. I have put together a "scavenger hunt" filled with tokens of my love for you. If you follow the trail, as I know you will, you'll find me at the end waiting for you. When you gave me that clipping from the rose bush that I had planted as a child, you actually gave me my new beginning. You will never truly know what that meant to me. I look forward to seeing the first and last rose of summer with you every year for the rest of our lives.**_

 _ **I can't wait to see you, my love. Your next clue awaits you in the kitchen.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Shane**_

 _ **P.S.**_

 _ **Please don't be mad that I got out of bed. I promise that it will all make sense soon.**_

Oliver smiled and rushed to the kitchen, anxious to follow the steps that would lead to his loving wife. He was beyond thankful that she seemed to be feeling better, however quite curious as to what she was up to. He looked around and then spotted another card on the kitchen table. This card, however, was handmade and was in the shape of the letter "D". Curious, he read aloud:

 _ **Oliver,**_

" _ **D" is for the DLO. This is the place where I fell in love with you. From the moment we delivered our first dead letter together, I knew that there was something special about you. It was there, that in one of the dances that we shared (I think you know exactly which one I'm referring to), everything suddenly changed. I knew in that moment that nothing would ever be the same again. I promise you, Oliver, that I will always give to you my undying devotion.**_

 _ **You can find your next clue to reaching me in our bedroom.**_

 _ **All My Love,**_

 _ **Shane**_

Oliver quickly made his way to their bedroom, hoping that maybe Shane would be waiting for him there. His need to kiss her and hold her tight was increasing. His eyes went straight for the bed, however it was another card that lay there instead of his beautiful wife. This card was also handmade and in the shape of the letter "A". He grasped the card and happily read:

 _ **Oliver,**_

" _ **A" is for answer. When I wrote that letter to God as a child, I lost my faith when I never got my answer. What I now realize is that God was waiting to deliver you to me when the timing was right. You are the answer to my prayers and I can never thank you enough for helping to restore my faith. I promise to always appreciate you and our sacred relationship with God.**_

 _ **You're getting closer…go to the guest bedroom for the next clue.**_

 _ **Your Loving Wife,**_

 _ **Shane**_

As Oliver walked into the guest bedroom, his heart was pounding. He couldn't see her in there, but he could feel her close by. He was expecting to find another card, however in its place was a small pink and blue gift box laying on the bed. He walked over to it and carefully lifted the lid and peeked inside. There lay another handmade card in the shape of the letter "D" atop a small piece of clothing. He pulled them both out of the box and his hands began shaking, slowly putting together the pieces. He began reading the final card out loud, barely able to control the emotion in his voice.

 _ **Oliver,**_

" _ **D" is for delivery. Together we have made countless special deliveries and we've been witness to God's many miracles. My wonderful husband, we are about to embark on the most important special delivery of our lives.**_

Oliver stopped reading for a moment, unfolding the tiny yellow onesie. He couldn't stop the tears from falling as he tenderly ran his fingers over the "I love Daddy" written on it. He had to finish reading the card, he ached to hold Shane in a way that he never had before. He continued,

" _ **D" is for daddy- I can't wait for the day that our baby is able to call you daddy. Thank you for making me a mommy, I can't wait to welcome our little miracle together.**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Shane**_

 _ **P.S.**_

 _ **TURN AROUND**_

Oliver swiftly turned towards the door and saw Shane standing there. He was taken aback, she had happy tears streaming down her face and a glow about her that almost stopped his heart. Shane's voice broke a little as she spoke, "If it's alright with you, I want this to be our baby's room." Her beautiful words pulled Oliver from his trance: _our baby._ Those were the most wonderful words he had ever heard.

Oliver walked over to Shane and pulled her into his arms. They were both crying and holding each other so close it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. After a couple of minutes, Oliver pulled back a little so he could look into Shane's eyes. He hadn't said anything yet and he could now see the unease sketched on his wife's face. At last, Oliver found his voice. "My Love, my wife." He gently tucked her hair behind her ears and continued, "The mother of my child, you have made me happier than I ever thought it would be possible for me to be. I love you so much, Shane, and I can't wait to hold our baby in my arms." Shane felt a huge sense of relief and excitement. She never should have doubted that Oliver would feel anything but happy about their baby. "Thank you for making me a daddy." Oliver mimicked the words that Shane had used in her letter. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and then pulled her close again, except this time he kissed her with all of the passion he had pent up for her all day.

Shane kept a tight grip on her husband, not willing to let him go yet. "I love you so much, Oliver. I've only known for a couple of days, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She took a deep breath and then decided that she wanted to be completely honest with him about her earlier fears. "I must confess that when I first found out, I was afraid to tell you. We hadn't talked about starting a family yet so I wasn't sure of how you would feel. I should have 'trusted the timing' from the beginning and I'm sorry that I doubted you would be anything but happy. Once I worked through my fears, I just wanted to find a special way to tell you. I hope you aren't angry with me." She looked at him with hope in her eyes.

Oliver took a moment and then held her hands to his chest. "Oh Shane, how could I be angry at you for having those fears? I know how scared I'm feeling right now, so I can only imagine how you must have felt when you found out." He brought both her hands up to his lips, kissing each one before continuing. "I vow to you that I am going to be here for you and our child every step of the way. We are in this together." Their lips lightly touched and Oliver let out a slight laugh, Shane eyeing him curiously. "I do hope that you realize you promised me earlier that if I went to church without you, I could take care of you for the rest of the day without complaint." Oliver lightheartedly raised his eyebrows at her.

"You're right, I did make that promise to you." Shane gave him a flirtatious smile. "I suppose since you followed through with your end of the deal, then so will I."

"Good, I was hoping you would say that. It's off to bed with you." Shane giggled as Oliver swept her off her feet. As he held her in his arms, he tenderly kissed her lips. "As soon as I feel confident that you are feeling better, I'm going to also follow through on something else I promised you this morning." Shane tilted her head and looked at him inquisitively. "To ravish you." Oliver and Shane flushed, anxious to celebrate their miracle together.

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Coming up Next: Oliver and Shane go to their first doctor's appointment…


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Martha Williamson. Please note: I am not a doctor and I based Shane's doctor's appointment off of some of my own experiences.**

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Chapter 4:

He waited patiently for her name to be called, eyes intently drawn to the light blue door each time it opened. They had arrived a few minutes early so that she could fill out some paperwork, however she had long since turned it in and now he found himself watching the clock. 9:07…wasn't the appointment at 9? Oh how he disliked tardiness! He turned to face Shane and caught the twinkle in her eyes as she observed a little girl playing with a baby doll on the other side of the waiting room. He was in awe at how beautiful his wife was, she was truly glowing.

At last the door opened again and Oliver was pulled from his trance. "Shane O'Toole." The nurse called out and smiled, indicating that it was finally their turn. Shane looked at Oliver with a nervous smile as they both followed the nurse, hand in hand, through the door. The nurse led them to a private room where she took Shane's vitals, Oliver respectfully turning his head as she stepped on the scale. "Go ahead and have a seat and Dr. Mills will be in shortly." The nurse excused herself, leaving an anxious Shane and an uncomfortable Oliver.

As Shane got situated on the exam table, Oliver paced around the room. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be doing right now. With each new thing he saw in the room, he became more and more jittery. Between the medical posters on the wall and the strange 3D diagram sitting on the counter, Oliver was officially out of his element. He turned and saw that his wife had paled, eyes wide with fear. He immediately walked over to her, taking her hand in his. "Shane, are you alright?" He soothingly stroked her hand with his thumb.

Tears immediately welled in Shane's eyes. "What if it was a false positive? What if I'm not really pregnant at all?" Her lips began to quiver and she could no longer stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. She had spent so much time worrying about Oliver's reaction and then how to tell him the news, she never really thought about the possibility of the pregnancy test not being accurate. Sure, she had the tell tale signs of pregnancy, but that didn't prove that she was. After she had told Oliver her news the day before, Shane had been on cloud nine. Once she stepped into the exam room, everything hit her and fear took over as she pondered the possibilities of something being wrong.

Oliver wrapped his arms around her, cradling the back of her head in his hand. "My love, we are in this together." He whispered, running his other hand soothingly up and down her back. He pulled away slightly and then brought one of his hands to lift her chin. "I wish that I could take all of your worries away, but I can't. However, I have faith that everything is going to be all right and turn out exactly the way that God intended." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you so much. We can make it through anything together." Just as Oliver drew her in for another hug, there was a light knock on the door before it opened, revealing Dr. Mills. Oliver sat down on the chair next to the exam table as Shane quickly wiped away the traces of tears on her face.

"Good morning, Shane." Dr. Mills closed the door behind her and walked over to the stool on the other side of the exam table, setting Shane's medical file on the counter. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, Dr. Mills." Shane looked from Dr. Mills to Oliver. "This is my husband, Oliver." Introductions were made, Oliver standing and politely shaking the doctor's hand before resuming his place at his wife's side and taking her hand in his.

"How have you been feeling? Any morning sickness?" Dr. Mills sat down and began taking notes.

"Yes, except it certainly does not happen just in the morning." Shane slightly rolled her eyes. Morning sickness was something she could surely do without.

Dr. Mills softly smiled. "I know it can be hard to manage, however it's completely normal. If you find that it increases and you're having difficulty keeping anything down, please don't hesitate to contact me. The most important thing in this stage is to make sure you're drinking plenty of water." She reassured before continuing. "Do you have any other concerns?"

Shane's grip on Oliver's hand tightened as she looked to him for support. He gently squeezed her hand and offered her a small smile, giving her the reassurance she needed. "Dr. Mills, what are the chances that the pregnancy test was false?"

"I can completely understand your concern. At home pregnancy tests are pretty accurate, however there's always a chance of a false positive. The good news is that I am going to do an ultrasound right now so we can confirm. Go ahead and lie back and we'll take a look." As the doctor prepared everything for the ultrasound, Oliver helped Shane lie down. "Alright, this gel is going to be a little cold." Dr. Mills preceded to lift up Shane's shirt and squirt some gel on her abdomen. Shane took a deep breath and Oliver kissed her hand, trying his best to calm her nerves.

Dr. Mills gently placed the probe on Shane's stomach and looked up at the screen as she moved it around. After a few seconds, she kept it in place and pointed to the screen with her other hand. "Congratulations Shane and Oliver. Right there is your baby." Oliver's jaw dropped, completely transfixed by the small blip on the screen no bigger than a raspberry. He could actually see the baby—their baby, in Shane's belly. Never in his life could he have imagined being so amazed by technology. "Oh, Oliver, there's our baby!" Shane was crying tears of joy as she looked from the screen then to her husband. Oliver looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "I love you so much, Shane. Thank you for giving me this gift."

Before Shane could respond, the doctor interrupted. "Your baby looks healthy, heartbeat is at 155 beats per minute. You are about 8 weeks along and that puts your due date on December 15th. I'm going to print some pictures of your baby for you and then give you two a minute." Dr. Mills wiped off the gel on Shane's stomach and then printed out a few copies of the ultrasound before quietly walking out of the room.

Oliver helped Shane sit up and she immediately threw her arms around Oliver's neck. "I love you, Oliver. We're going to have a baby!" She pulled back and drew him in for a passionate kiss, completely forgetting and not really caring where they were. They held each other tightly, marveling together in their miracle.

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Oliver and Shane walked into the Mailbox Grille and saw that the Dormans were already sitting at a table. They held hands and made their way over to them, barely able to conceal their excitement. "Rita, Norman." Oliver greeted as he held out the chair for Shane before taking his own seat. "I appreciate your understanding of our need to take a last minute vacation day."

"Of course, Oliver, it was no trouble at all." Norman reassured his friend. "Is everything okay?" He was a little concerned when Oliver had called him up the night before to let him know that he and Shane would not be coming into the office on Monday. In all the years he had known Oliver, he had never done anything like that before. His worry increased when Shane called Rita an hour ago and asked if they would meet them for lunch. He looked back and forth between Oliver and Shane and could see that something was different, although he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Well, we actually have some news that we wanted to share with our dearest friends." Oliver continued to grasp his wife's hand and then looked at her, encouraging her to share their news.

"Oliver and I just left the doctor. She confirmed that we are expecting a baby, due in December!" Shane announced, looking back and forth between Rita and Norman.

"Oh wow! That is so wonderful!" Rita got up from her chair and hugged Shane, relieved that Shane told Oliver about the baby. She had found it extremely difficult keeping this secret from Norman all weekend.

"Congratulations!" Norman shook Oliver's hand. "You are going to love fatherhood. If you ever need any advice, I would be more than happy to share my insight with you."

Oliver chuckled. "Thank you, Norman. I do appreciate that."

"You are going to be wonderful parents! I'm so happy for you both!" Rita was positively giddy. "Have you told anyone else yet?"

"So far just you. We were going to tell Joe today, but he went fishing with a couple of his friends and won't be back until tomorrow. " Shane said as she looked over at Oliver. She got lost in the intense way that her husband was staring at her, her breath catching in her throat slightly. Oliver was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of his wife. From the moment she had told him that she was pregnant, he saw her in a way that he never had before. He had always known that having a baby was a miracle, a gift from God. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be privileged enough to embark on the journey into parenthood with such a remarkable woman. He could not wait to see their baby grow within her belly and feel him or her kick beneath his hand. He instantly regretted their decision to share their news today, as he wanted nothing more than to take his wife home and hold her in his arms for the rest of the day and night with no one to disturb them.

"Why don't we go ahead and order our meal. I am actually quite hungry and you, my love, are eating for two now." Oliver gave Shane a provocative yet sly look, hoping she would take his hint that he wanted to hurry this along. Shane caught the hungry look in his eye, instantly catching on to what he was trying to do.

"You are absolutely right, Oliver." She returned her husband's gaze. "I'm starving." The Dormans and O'Toole's ordered their meals and exchanged friendly chatter while they waited for their food to arrive. Once it did, Shane was sure that she had never seen Oliver eat so quickly. Once the plates were cleared, Rita and Norman excused themselves, as their lunch hour was over and they needed to get back to the DLO. Oliver grabbed Shane's hand and made a quick exit, desperate to be alone with his wife.

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The car ride home was strangely quiet, as Oliver drove with an intensity that Shane had never seen. She wasn't worried in any way, just incredibly anxious see what was going on in her husband's mind. As soon as Oliver and Shane walked through the door to their home, Oliver's lips were on Shane's in an instant, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her impossibly close. From the moment that they had married, Shane quickly discovered how passionate her husband was. He made her feel things that she only ever dreamt about after reading those shameless romance novels that she secretly loved. He was always concerned with her wants and needs, making sure that she was protected and always felt safe with him. Oh how she loved this wonderful, sexy man! Shane ran her hand up Oliver's chest, feeling his heart racing underneath her palm. When they parted, they were gasping for air, breathing uneven. Oliver gazed into Shane's eyes and tenderly cupped her face in his hands. "I have wanted to do that all day." He gave her a flirty smile before continuing. "I apologize if I, in any way, put you in an uncomfortable situation at lunch with Rita and Norman. I know that I rushed through our meal, which was awfully rude of me, however I could not help myself. I didn't want to share you with anyone else today. I just needed to be with you, as I've yearned to hold you in my arms all day."

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." Shane raised her eyebrows to him and kissed his lips. "You are not alone in your needs, Oliver. I've wanted to hold you and be held by you all day. I'm actually quite pleased that you rushed through our meal. The way you kept watching me was driving me wild." Shane blushed and then kissed him again.

"Well, my love, great minds think alike." He gave her a confident smile and then walked over to the record player, soft jazz music filling the room. He grabbed her hand, spinning her around and then catching her in his arms. "Right now, I would like to dance with my lovely wife. Then after, I am going to spend the rest of the night showing you just how much I love you." As Oliver held Shane close, guiding her through the steps they memorized so long ago, they both could not wait to revel in the power of their love.

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Next up: Oliver and Shane tell Joe and Shane's mom their news!

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for all of the support and wonderful reviews!**

 **I not own these characters, they belong to the amazingly talented, Martha Wiliamson.**

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Chapter 5:

Joseph O'Toole made his way up the familiar walkway leading to his son and now daughter-in-law's house. He had gotten home from a fishing trip with his buddies late last night and was surprised to receive a phone call from Oliver this morning inviting him to dinner. It wasn't exactly a rare occurrence that he enjoyed a meal with Oliver and Shane, but there was just something about the tone in his son's voice that hinted that there was more going on. His son was not exactly good at hiding things from him and he sensed that the real reason for dinner was possibly some good news. Even though they were very different, he could read his boy like a book and instantly saw the attraction between him and Shane. Joe had nothing but love for his daughter-in-law from the moment he met her and could never thank her enough for being the one to help push Oliver into making amends with him.

He knocked on the door and was quickly greeted by Shane, who had a beautiful glow about her that he couldn't even describe. "Dad! Come on in!" He was pulled into a hug by his daughter-in-law before he could even step inside the house.

"Shane, you look absolutely breathtaking!" Joe looked at her, desperately trying to figure out what he was missing. Something was definitely different about her, he just hadn't figured out what it was.

"Thank you, you are so sweet." Shane smiled and then ushered him into the house, closing the door behind him. "Oliver is in the kitchen. Dinner should be ready soon." Joe followed Shane into the other room and spotted his son. Oliver's back was to him as he was hard at work preparing the baked potatoes. Upon hearing the footsteps approaching, he turned to greet his father as he walked in the room.

"Dad, thank you so much for coming." The two men hugged before he continued. "How was your fishing trip?"

"It was great seeing the guys, but the fish really weren't biting. We're actually planning to head out again in a couple of weeks. You should join us, son." Joe could see the tension fill Oliver's facial features almost instantly. He knew that outdoor activities were not his son's forte, but he would never stop trying to get him out of his shell.

"Well, uh, as glorious as that sounds, I don't believe that fishing and I would be compatible." Oliver hoped his wife wouldn't push the subject. She was always trying to get him to try new things and get him outside of his comfort level. He had to think quick and come up with something or he would be elbow deep in fish guts. "I would, however, consider another father-son camping trip in the near future. I hear there are very nice cabins at the Colorado Bear Creek."

Shane pursed her lips together to hold back her laugh as Joe smiled at Oliver's attempt at some quality outdoor time together. He was proud of his son for trying to appease him and had long since accepted him for who he is. "That would be great, son. We'll have to plan it soon."

Dinner was ready and the trio made their way into the dining room. "Everything looks delicious." Joe admired the spread laid out on the dining room table.

"This is all courtesy of your wonderful son." Shane gushed as she sat down and Oliver pushed in her chair. Oliver had been insistent on cooking tonight so that Shane could rest. Her morning sickness had been rather rough today and she had found herself feeling queasy all the way through the lunch hour. He had wanted to cancel the dinner with his father this evening, however Shane didn't want to put it off any longer. Oliver had made a compromise with his wife: they would keep their dinner plans, but she wasn't to lift a finger to help. Shane, being the headstrong woman that he loved, fought him on his request only briefly and then eventually caved. She knew her husband was right and that she couldn't push herself due to the baby growing inside of her.

"Well it looks and smells great." Joe was pleased and he could see the pride in Oliver's eyes. They continued their meal and Oliver and Shane filled Joe in on the recent letter that they delivered. Joe's plate was now empty and he couldn't decide if he wanted to indulge in seconds or just wait for dessert. He continued to ponder his options as Shane stood up.

"It's getting rather hot in here." Shane took off her button up sweater, revealing a yellow t-shirt that was very uncharacteristically "Shane". Come to think of it, Joe didn't think he ever saw Shane wearing a t-shirt. He was just about to dismiss his query and continue to decide on whether he wanted seconds or not, when he noticed the writing on Shane's shirt. Joe's jaw dropped as his eyes focused on the writing on the shirt across Shane's stomach.

 _Baby O'Toole_

 _December 2019_

Joe was up in an instant and quickly pulled Shane into a bear hug. "I knew there was more to dinner tonight!" Joe was laughing and not even trying to fight the tears from building in his eyes. He went over to Oliver and shook his hand before pulling him into a hug. "You two have no idea how long I've waited for this day! A baby! Congratulations you two!"

"Thank you, Dad. That means the world to us." Oliver was beyond pleased at his Father's reaction to their news. He knew that this man would be a wonderful grandfather to his son or daughter.

"Shane, how are you feeling? Is there anything I can do for you?" Joe may not be Shane's father, but he loved her as if she was his own and would do anything to protect her.

"I'm feeling okay right now. The morning sickness has been rough, but Oliver has been taking good care of me." Shane gazed at her husband and held his hand. "He'll be a wonderful father because he learned from the best." Joe couldn't stop the emotions he was feeling as he pulled both Shane and Oliver in for a hug. The rest of the evening was filled with tears, laughter and excitement for what the coming months would bring.

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Oliver held his wife close to him, beyond content with feeling her body mold into his. He kissed the back of her head and laid his hand just under her pajama top to rest on her stomach. Ever since he found out about the baby, he felt the need to hold his wife's belly as they slept. He was unable to experience first-hand the miracle of pregnancy, so this was his own way that he could feel closer to his growing child.

"I think today went well. Your father was so pleased to find out that he's going to be a grandpa." Shane reveled in her husband's soft touch across her belly. "Thank you for taking such good care of me. I love you so much."

Oliver sighed and brought her hand up to his lips. "I love you and I would do anything for you." He continued to spoon her and adjusted them to a more comfortable position. "Sleep now, my love. We have a busy week and on Saturday we shall share our news with your mom." Shane closed her eyes and allowed herself to be lulled to sleep by the rise and fall of Oliver's chest against her back. "Goodnight, dear Shane." And with that Oliver drifted off to sleep holding his wife and child close to his heart.

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Margaret McInerney sipped her coffee as she anxiously awaited for her laptop to finish booting up. It was 9:52 on a beautiful Saturday morning and she only had a few minutes until her daughter would be calling her via Skype. She was always close with her daughters and still saw Alex regularly, however since Shane had moved to Denver she had only seen her in person a handful of times. She was thankful that every other Saturday at 10:00am she was able to see her daughter, even if it was only on a computer screen. She had worried about Shane when she had first moved to Denver, knowing that she had been heartbroken over Steve. Margaret had considered herself to be a woman of faith and peace, however that horrid man had made her want to commit unspeakable acts of violence for the way he had treated her little girl. She was thankful that God had guided her into finding her inner strength and helped her to not betray her true self. She was able to let her anger go and did not do anything rash where Steve was concerned.

When Margaret had first met Oliver, she instantly knew that her daughter had found her equal and one true love. He looked at Shane as if she hung the moon and was the brightest star in his world. She knew in her very soul that her baby girl would always be loved and taken care of by that man in which she was now honored to call her son. Margaret logged into her Skype account, just as the clock turned 10 and her computer signaled that Shane was calling.

"Hi Shane!" Margaret was all smiles as she saw her daughter appear on the screen. Within a few seconds Oliver was in view as well, waving at the camera and looking positively giddy. "Hello Oliver! How have you both been?"

"Hi Mom!" Oliver and Shane said in unison. "Our week has been, uh, unforgettable." Shane continued, hardly containing her growing smile. Before Margaret could inquire on their week further, her doorbell rang.

"There's someone at the door, hold on just a minute." Margaret walked to the door and answered it, very surprised to find that there was a delivery for her of a dozen yellow roses. Not wanting to keep Shane and Oliver waiting, she quickly thanked the delivery man and then grabbed the bouquet and went back over to her computer. "Look at these beautiful roses! I wonder who they're from." She picked up the card to read it, not noticing the looks of anticipation on Shane and Oliver's faces.

 _To My Grandma._

 _I cannot wait to meet you this December._

 _Love,_

 _Your Grandbaby_

Margaret's head shot up to the computer screen to see Shane holding up an ultrasound photo. Tears sprang to her eyes and she wanted nothing more than to hug her daughter. "Oh my darling daughter! A baby! You're going to have a baby?! I'm gonna be a Grandma!"

"We haven't known for very long and we wanted to tell you in a special way since we couldn't do it in person." Shane was crying happy tears as she grasped Oliver's hand tightly and used her other hand to wipe her cheeks. "The baby is due on December 15th and my doctor has assured us that everything looks great."

Oliver looked at his wife, getting her silent approval before turning to address his Mother-in-law. "Margaret, Shane and I would be overjoyed if you would come and stay with us for a couple of weeks when the baby comes. We are both inexperienced where parenting is concerned and could certainly benefit from your expertise."

"Oh Oliver, I would be more than happy to come and stay with you! Being a grandma is a dream come true. Thank you both for answering my prayers! I love you all so much!" Margaret had never been as happy as she was in that moment. She felt like she was getting a second chance to right the wrongs of the past. When her husband had left all those years ago, she had been devastated and there was a part of her that would always blame herself for his leaving. Shane had taken his absence harder than Alex and had withdrawn from everyone for a long time. She did her best, but could never fully make things right for her daughter. In that moment, she vowed to do anything she could for her grandchild and always be there for him or her.

Margaret continued her call with Shane and Oliver, reminiscing over the weeks' events and happily rejoicing in the miracle of new life.

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There was a cool breeze through the night air, causing Shane to snuggle closer into her husband's warm embrace. Oliver kept one hand securely wrapped around his wife's shoulders as his other one caressed her still flat stomach. They loved peaceful nights like this when they could sit on their porch swing together and just enjoy the feeling of being together. "Are you cold, my love? We could go back inside if you would prefer to do so."

Shane wrapped her arms securely around Oliver's waste in response, laying her head on his chest in the process. "There's no need to go inside. I have you to keep me warm." She smiled contentedly as Oliver leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I could stay like this forever, Oliver." She ran her hand up and down his chest, stopping as her palm rested just over his heart. "I love being enveloped in your arms with the sound of your heartbeat to keep me calm. You are my sanctuary, my perfect place to be."

Oliver brought his hand down to cup her chin and guided her face up so their eyes could meet. "Well if you want to stay like this forever you will most certainly not get any complaints from me. There's no greater feeling in this world than holding you close to me." Their lips met in a slow, intimate kiss, hands and limbs adjusting to bring the other impossibly closer. They parted and Oliver ran his thumb over Shane's bottom lip, gazing hopelessly in her eyes. "How is it that whenever we kiss I lose control of my senses? From the moment that our lips touch, I can't think straight and all I can do is feel. It's as if the world around us stops, and nothing else matters except showing you how much I love you." He surprised her by kissing her again, though this kiss was more frantic, Oliver feeling the need to prove to his beloved what she means to him. "Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined a more perfect woman than you, Shane." Shane had happy tears filling her eyes as Oliver tenderly placed his hand on her belly over their baby. "Our love created this precious miracle growing inside you. I vow to you and to God that I will spend every day for the rest of my life counting my blessings and taking care of our family."

"Oh, Oliver!" Shane pulled Oliver to her, tightly wrapping her arms around him. "You are the most wonderful man that I have ever met. I love you with everything that I have in my heart and soul. I am so beyond blessed to be able to call you my husband and the father of my child."

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, helplessly clinging to each other and unwilling to let the other go. It wasn't until the faint sound of thunder in the distance could be heard and flashes of light began filling the sky that Oliver pulled slightly away. "There's a storm coming, let's get you both inside." Oliver stood up and grabbed ahold of Shane's hand in order to help her up. He took one look at his wife and could see just how exhausted she was. He couldn't even imagine the toll that carrying their child in her womb was taking on her body. He gently guided her as they made their way inside the house and quietly walked to their bedroom. No words were spoken but their intentions were in sync, both feeling the need to crawl into bed and hold each other close for the rest of the night.

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you so much for all of the reviews, comments and continued support.

 **I don't own these characters, they belong to the wonderfully talented Martha Wiliamson.**

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Chapter 6:

Shane was almost halfway through her pregnancy and she couldn't believe how quickly time was passing by. Her morning sickness had decreased and she was finally starting to feel better. The last few weeks had been difficult on her, but she was lucky to have such a loving and supportive husband in Oliver. He was there to give her a massage when her body was aching. He stayed awake with her when she tossed and turned and couldn't get comfortable. He brought her breakfast in bed when she needed extra rest and had Saltine crackers readily available whenever she was feeling nauseous. He never missed a doctor's appointment and read every pregnancy book she read just to better understand what she was going through. He was already the epitome of the perfect father and hadn't even had a chance to hold their baby yet.

"Alright, Shane, let's take a look at your baby." Shane's thoughts were interrupted by Dr. Mills as she began the ultrasound. Oliver held her hand as they both lovingly gazed at the monitor displaying their baby. Silence filled the room as the doctor took measurements to track their child's development. Oliver was in absolute awe as he watched the heartbeat and witnessed the movements of their little miracle. After a few minutes, Dr. Mills paused and looked at the expectant parents. "Your baby is healthy and everything is right on track with his or her growth. Before I continue, do you want to know the sex?"

Shane and Oliver exchanged a look of agreement before Oliver responded to the doctor. "Actually, Dr. Mills, would you be able to write down the gender and place it in an envelope? I am planning something special for Shane and I want to be the one to tell her." Dr. Mills smiled and nodded in agreement at the request and continued the rest of the ultrasound in silence. Once she had completed her measurements and assured the O'Toole's that everything was progressing normally, she handed Oliver a sealed envelope before he and Shane made their way out of the office.

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Shane awoke to the feel of her husband's lips lingering on her cheek and his hand softly caressing her swollen belly. "It's time to wake up, my love." He whispered in her ear, gently trying to coerce her out of her slumber.

"No, Oliver, I'm not ready to get up yet." Her eyes remained closed as she replied sleepily and nuzzled into his chest. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him closer to her to stop him from getting out of bed.

"I would love nothing more than to stay right here with you all day, however we have a barbecue to prepare for." He was finding it rather difficult to leave the comfort of his wife's arms, especially after she started to plant a trail of kisses from his neck to his jawline. "Uh, Shane…you know what that does to me." Her hands roamed his chest as she brought her lips to his in a heated kiss. When they parted, their breathing was labored and Oliver was working hard to exert self-control. "It's torturous to not continue what you've started, but we have a lot to do."

Shane had a look of disappointment in her eyes. "I know you're right. I hope you realize I intend to finish what I started when everyone leaves." She kissed him on the cheek and then threw the covers back before sitting up.

"Believe me, my beautiful wife, I'm counting on that." Oliver followed suit and they both got out of bed, scrambling to get ready for their busy day.

Two weeks had passed since the ultrasound and Oliver still had not revealed the gender of the baby to Shane. He had been incredibly secretive and Shane was going out of her mind with curiosity. Oliver kept reminding her to "trust the timing" but the anticipation was driving her insane. When he had suggested they have the Dorman's and his father over for a Saturday afternoon barbecue, she wondered if he was up to something more.

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Shane finished applying her makeup and looked at her reflection in the full length mirror. She wore a mint chiffon floral maternity dress that flowed just above her knees and had chosen to put her hair up at an attempt to escape the summer heat. She placed her hand on her womb and relished at the feel of life growing underneath her palms.

She was startled when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist but calmed when she caught site of her husband standing behind her. "You are so beautiful, my love. You take my breath away." He turned her to face him and cupped her face in his. He kept one hand on her belly and used the other one to gently draw her face to his, sealing the moment in a generous kiss. When they pulled back, Oliver kneeled before her so that he was facing her baby bump. He peppered her belly with soft kisses, causing her to giggle in response. He finished his sweet torture and enveloped her middle in his arms, the side of his face resting gently on her stomach. Shane was in complete bliss as she ran her hands through her husband's hair, loving every moment of his adoration. "I love you both so much, Shane. Our miracle amazes me every day." They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, lost in the feel of holding each other.

Oliver finally stood and Shane immediately missed the warmth of his embrace. "I have something to show you." He gave her a boyish grin and took her hand in his and led her down the hallway. They stopped just outside the closed door to the nursery and he took a deep breath before slowly opening the door for her.

Shane gasped and covered her mouth, tears instantly falling down her cheeks. The room had been painted a light blue-gray with pastel pink trim. The curtains matched the trim and the beautiful, pink rocking chair and ottoman that sat in the corner. She slowly turned around the room, mesmerized at how gorgeous it was. She stopped when her eyes reached the other end of the nursery. "Oh, Oliver!" She was sobbing when she saw that on the far wall, large pink wooden letters with yellow roses sketched on them were hanging from yellow ribbons, spelling out their daughter's name: Charlotte. "We're having a baby girl!" Shane squealed and threw her arms around Oliver. They were both laughing and crying as they held each other tight.

"I hope you aren't upset that I took the liberty of painting our daughter's room, but I wanted to surprise you. You put so much thought into telling me about our baby and I wanted to make this moment special for you and just for us to share." He held her hands and placed a kiss on each one of them while never taking his eyes off of hers.

"I love it, Oliver! It's perfect!" She leaned in and kissed him, amazed at what he did for her. "But how did you do all this without me knowing?"

"Well, I may have misrepresented the time frame in which last week's Postal conference took place. I finished relatively early each day and then had plenty of time to come home and work on this before it was time to accompany you home from the office. I apologize for my dishonesty, however I deemed it necessary in order to get this completed." They walked hand in hand over to the wall that displayed their daughter's name and Shane delicately ran her fingers along the roses on the letters. When she had entered her second trimester, Oliver had bought her a book of baby names. They had spent many nights on their porch swing flipping through the pages trying to find the right name for their son or daughter. They had decided to take the traditional route and had chosen Joshua Henry for a boy and Charlotte Rose for a girl. Joshua meant "God is salvation" and Henry was Joe's middle name and they wanted to honor him. Charlotte was the name of Oliver's Grandma, the very women whose ring now rested on Shane's left hand. The middle name, Rose, seemed only fitting as a way to pay homage to the last rose of summer.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I couldn't ask for a more precious way to find out we're having a baby girl." She put her arms around his neck and brought him close to her. "I thought that maybe you were planning on telling me today with everyone else during the barbecue. I'm so happy that it was just us." He smiled at her and sealed their embrace with a sweet kiss.

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After Oliver had showed her their daughter's nursery, he had confessed that the purpose of today was so that they could announce the gender of their child to their close friends and family. Oliver had attempted to get Shane's mother and sister there for their special day, however Alex was traveling abroad with her boyfriend and Margaret had taken ill and did not want to risk getting anyone sick. Oliver had suggested they postpone, however Margaret wouldn't hear of it and was insistent that he proceed as planned. Since she would not be there for the announcement, Shane and Oliver Skyped with her before the party and gave her the news, later showing her a virtual tour of the baby's room. The barbecue was now in full swing and Shane was glowing with happiness.

"Can I get you anything, Shane?" Norman asked as he walked up to her while holding a sleeping Francis. Since finding out she was pregnant, Norman had taken on a protective big brother role and always tried to make sure Shane was taken care of if Oliver wasn't around to do so. Shane watched as he held the sleeping toddler, in awe at how natural he looked holding his little boy.

"No thank you, Norman. I think I've eaten enough for a lot more than two people." She adjusted in her chair and noticed Francis stirring. "Do you want to lay him down inside so he can sleep more soundly?"

"I appreciate the offer, but Francis doesn't sleep well in strange places." His eyes bulged as he thought about how that may have sounded. "Not that your home is strange, it's just that—"

Shane gave him a reassuring smile before cutting him off. "It's okay, Norman. I know what you meant." Norman smiled back and then awkwardly wandered toward his wife when he noticed her walking his way. He carefully passed Francis to Rita before excusing himself to go inside. Rita had just finished assisting Oliver and Joe clean up in the kitchen so that Shane could stay off her feet. Shane had tried to help, however when the three of them ganged up on her, she knew she had lost. Rita came and sat down next to Shane and the two women engaged in a light discussion about maternity clothes. With the baby growing every day, Shane found that she didn't have enough clothes to fit her expanding belly and asked Rita if she would accompany her the following weekend to the maternity store. Rita was more than happy to oblige and the ladies had scheduled a girls only shopping day.

A few minutes later, Oliver, Joe and Norman walked outside and joined the ladies around the table. Joe and Norman took their seats, however Oliver walked over to his wife and placed his hands on her shoulders signaling to her that it was time to share their news. Shane reached back and lovingly squeezed his hand, sharing an understanding in their unspoken communication. As soon as Shane got up from her chair to stand beside Oliver, he draped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "I'm hoping I may have everyone's attention." They all stopped talking and focused on Oliver. "Shane and I have some wonderful news to share." He looked at his wife and nodded his head to her. He was honored that he was the one to tell her they were expecting a daughter, so he thought it was only right that she make the announcement to their loved ones.

"Oliver and I are pleased to announce that we are having a baby girl!" Immediately after the words left her mouth, excitement ensued and Joe and the Dorman's stood up to offer their congratulations to the happy couple.

Joe got to Shane first and gave her a hug that a father gives a daughter. "I'm so happy for you and Oliver. I love you so much, Shane. Thank you for loving my son and giving me a precious granddaughter to spoil. I can't wait to meet her!" Both had tears in their eyes and more hugs and congratulations were shared among the guests. When the excitement of the news had calmed, Shane excitedly showed off the nursery and gushed about what Oliver had done for her.

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A couple of hours later, the guests were gone and Oliver and Shane lay curled up together on the couch. Shane shifted slightly and moved out of his embrace, causing Oliver to protest. "Shhhh. Turn around." She gave him a mischievous smile and he obliged her by turning his back towards her. She began to slowly massage his shoulders, eliciting a grateful moon from his lips. "You always take such good care of me and now it's my turn to take care of you." She continued to run her hands into his sore muscles along his back, neck and shoulders.

"Shane, that feels incredible. You always know just what I need." His head was slumped down in relaxation as she worked the tense muscles in the back of his neck.

A few minutes later, Oliver was completely relaxed and enjoying the feel of his wife's hands on him. He suddenly felt his body tingle as Shane began to place kisses on the side of his neck, lightly sucking on the pulse point there. "I believe I promised you that I would finish what I started when our guests were gone." She sensually whispered in his ear and he immediately moved his head to meet hers. He quickly yet carefully turned his body and pulled her on his lap, securing his mouth to hers in a mind blowing kiss.

They held each other close as their lips tangoed and Shane melted into her husband's secure arms. They pulled away to catch their breath and leaned their foreheads together. There were no words spoken as Shane stood and held her hand to Oliver, both intent on getting lost in each other's embrace for the rest of the night.

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	7. Chapter 7

So sorry for the delay with getting this chapter out. Thank you so much for your continued support!

 **I do not own these wonderful characters or** _ **Signed, Sealed, Delivered.**_ **They belong to the wonderful Martha Williamson.**

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Chapter 7:

Shane was now entering her third trimester and she had started to get frantic about how much they still needed to get done before their daughter's arrival. They already had the furniture set up in the nursery, however she had been putting off registering for baby gifts. She and Oliver thought it would be a good idea to get it done before the upcoming baby shower and were now spending their Saturday afternoon at buybuy BABY.

After Shane and Oliver checked in at the gift registry counter, they were handed a scan gun and given directions on how to complete their registry. They began walking towards the first set of aisles when Shane put her hand on Oliver's arm to stop him. "I'm just going to use the ladies' room before we get started. I'll meet you over there." She smiled at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before walking towards the restroom.

Oliver made his way over to the "diapering" section and turned down the first aisle. He felt anxious as he stared at the various brands of infant diaper rash cream for what seemed like hours. Why would a baby need so many choices? Which one should he scan? Did every baby get rashes? He held the scan gun and began firing away at the various barcodes. Maybe they should just try them all out and see which one works best. He moved on to the next set of items: baby powder. "My goodness! Are there this many options for every type of product?" He exclaimed out loud to no one in particular.

"Oliver, what are you doing?" Shane rounded the corner and found her husband frantically scanning baby powder. She could tell that he hadn't heard her as he continued massively scanning everything in sight. She slowly walked over to him and placed her hand on his. "Oliver, hand me the gun. It's going to be alright." She could sense that he was feeling very overwhelmed as he still stared hopelessly at the baby powder.

"How do you know if you should get 'Lavender Scented', 'Unscented' or 'Pure Cornstarch'? What is the difference between 'Organic Baby Powder' and 'Dusting Powder'? Shane, do babies really need all of this?" He was absolutely dumbfounded as he willingly handed her the scan gun, finally turning his head to make eye contact with her.

"No, not necessarily." She placed a comforting hand on his face and reassuringly stroked his cheek with her thumb. "Oliver, I know this is a lot to take in and there are so many things to choose from, but we're in this together. We'll take our time and scan what we think we need." She held his hand in hers and gave it a comforting squeeze, eliciting a smile from Oliver.

"Thank you for helping me come to my senses." He leaned down and kissed Shane on the forehead. "I suppose I got a tad bit carried away."

"Maybe just a little." She set the scan gun down on one of the shelves so she could hold both of his hands. "But it's one of the reasons I love you so much. You're just trying to do everything you can to make sure our daughter is taken care of. You're already the best husband I could ever hope for. You're going to be an amazing daddy to our baby."

"I love you so much, Shane." Oliver pulled her close to him and gave her a sweet kiss. "I know we had planned to dine out this evening, however might I convince you to spend the night in instead? I would much rather keep you all to myself and I will even cook you whatever you would like for dinner."

"Mmm dinner you say? And would this dinner include rocky road ice cream for dessert?" She asked with a hopeful smile. Throughout her pregnancy, Shane had maintained a relatively healthy diet and hadn't really had any bizarre cravings. However, over the past couple of weeks she had developed an insatiable hunger for rocky road ice cream, going as far as to sending Oliver out to buy some late one night the week prior.

"Of course. I'll even throw in extra marshmallows in there if you promise to share a few bites with me." He gave her his signature boyish grin as he flirtatiously raised his eyebrows to her. "What do you say, my love?"

"You had me at _'I love you'._ " Shane smiled at him and picked the scan gun back up. "We should get started." She began walking away and then turned her head to look back at him. "I'm anxious to be alone with my husband." She winked at him and then continued her journey to the next aisle, a smitten Oliver following close behind.

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Shane laid on the couch mindlessly rubbing her belly as she waited for Oliver to join her. They had just enjoyed a delicious dinner and Oliver was now cleaning up the kitchen. She had tried to assist him so they could get it done faster, however Oliver wouldn't hear of it. He was insistent that she had been on her feet all day and needed to rest the remainder of the evening. She hated to admit that she was relieved, as her ankles were now swollen and achy.

"For you, my love. A big bowl of rocky road ice cream with extra marshmallows." She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Oliver come into the room. He handed her the bowl, which she eagerly accepted, before moving her legs slightly so that her husband could join her. Once situated, Oliver gently pulled her legs to rest on his lap and as he began to massage her feet.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me." She smiled at him before happily indulging in a big bite of chocolatey goodness then noticed he hadn't brought any ice cream out for himself. "Where's your dessert?"

"I was hoping you would make due on your promise and share with me. I did throw in quite a few extra marshmallows." He paused for a moment before adding in a low voice, "however I would be okay if you didn't. I have my dessert right here and you're all that I need, Mrs. O'Toole." He looked at her with such passion in his eyes that she immediately blushed.

"Well if that's the case, then I'm yours for the taking." She teased before taking another bite. "But I'm also more than willing to share with you." She scooped up a generous amount with the spoon and slowly fed it to Oliver.

"As delicious as that was, I prefer my other dessert option better." Oliver gave his wife a flirtatious smile and then suddenly watched her face contort in pain as her hand grabbed her stomach. "Shane, what is it? Is it the baby?" His worry increased as she kept silent, however he did his best not to panic.

"I, uh…I think I felt another contraction." Shane was focusing on keeping her breathing steady but her shaky voice couldn't hide the fact that she was scared. Meanwhile, Oliver's eyes bulged and his jaw dropped.

"Another? What do you mean another?"

"I think I felt a couple when we were at buybuy BABY and then another one just before dinner." She did her best to explain in a calm voice. "I wasn't sure until just now. This one was more intense than the other ones." Oliver was upset that he was only hearing about this now, however knew that expressing his feelings to her at the moment was the last thing that she needed.

"I know you're worried, but I want you to try to relax and let me take care of you." He tried to reassure her while saying a silent prayer to God, asking him to keep his wife and daughter safe. "I'm going to call your doctor and see what she recommends we do." He carefully moved her legs aside so he could get off the couch and walked into the other room to call the doctor.

A couple of minutes later, Oliver walked back into the room and made his way over to Shane. He sat next to her on the couch, reassuringly grabbing her hand in his. "Shane, Dr. Mills wants us to meet her at the hospital so she can assess you and the baby." He softly rubbed circles on the back of her hand and hoped she wouldn't recognize the fear in his eyes.

"Oliver, it's too soon." Shane could no longer keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. "Is our baby going to be okay?"

"Shhh." Oliver whispered as he pulled her in his arms and began slowly rocking her. "I have faith that God will watch over us tonight, just as he always has."

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Oliver paced outside of Shane's room as he continuously checked his pocket watch. They arrived at the hospital thirty minutes prior to see Dr. Mills already waiting for them in OB Triage. As soon as they got Shane checked into a room, the nurse had asked him to step out for a few minutes so she and Dr. Mills could assess Shane and get her set up on the monitors. He had now been waiting for fifteen minutes and he was becoming increasingly impatient. He was relieved when the nurse opened the door and she and Dr. Mills walked out.

The doctor explained to him that they had Shane hooked up to a machine to monitor any contractions that she may have and had drawn a few units of blood. She reassured Oliver that so far the baby looked fine but she would be back later once she had the lab results. After she reiterated to him that he should encourage Shane to get some rest, she told him he was free to go inside and then walked towards the nurse's station.

Oliver held his breath as he entered Shane's hospital room, the sight before him momentarily stopping him in his tracks and breaking his heart. His beautiful wife was laying in the hospital bed hooked up to various machines to monitor her with an IV imbedded in her arm. She was wearing a hospital gown and her legs were covered by a thin sheet, however her belly was on display with some type of belt wrapped around it. His eyes followed the attached cords to the monitor they were plugged into and he could see the patterns displaying what he realized to be his daughter's heartbeat. However what ripped Oliver to shreds was the look on Shane's face, which spoke volumes of how worried she was and how badly she needed him. He was by her side in an instant, taking her hand in his own.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he sat down in the chair beside her hospital bed.

"I'm feeling okay, just scared and needing my husband." Shane squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile.

"I'm right here with you, my love, and I'm not going anywhere." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Why don't you try to get some sleep while we wait for Dr. Mills to come back in? It's been a long day and you need your rest."

"You're right, I can hardly keep my eyes open." She was both emotionally and physically exhausted and had no energy to argue with him. She situated her head deeper into the pillows before continuing. "Promise me you'll be here when I wake up?"

"I won't leave your side." He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. "Sleep, love." Shane's eyes slowly closed and it didn't take long for her breathing to even out.

Oliver watched the rise and fall of Shane's chest, the beeping of her heart monitor giving him comfort. He had never been more scared in his life as he was today. If anything ever happened to his wife or his baby girl, it would obliterate him. He turned his attention to the fetal monitor and watched his baby girl's heartbeat as he gently laid his hand on Shane's swollen belly. All of the sudden he felt a hard kick right up against his hand, eliciting a smile from him. This was his daughter's way of reminding him that she was here and she was okay. He knew in his heart that this was a sign from God. He placed a tender kiss right where he had felt the kick and then laid his head to rest on Shane's chest, his hand laying protectively over his daughter. He thought about the deep love he had for his girls as he was lulled to sleep by Shane's heartbeat.

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A couple of hours later, Dr. Mills walked into Shane's room and spied Oliver and Shane sleeping soundly. She hated to disturb their peaceful sleep, however knew that they were both anxious to hear the test results. She lightly touched Shane's shoulder and kept her voice soft and reassuring. "Shane?" It was Oliver that stirred first, noting the doctor's presence and quickly sitting up. The movement caused Shane to wake up and both sets of eyes were quickly on Dr. Mills. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, just really tired." Shane's voice came out a little scratchy as she started to become more alert.

"We've been monitoring you and the baby for the past few hours and we haven't seen any contractions. Now that doesn't mean you weren't having them earlier, however they could have just been Braxton Hicks contractions. You can think of those as 'practice contractions' and your body's natural way to prepare itself for labor. They can be worrisome for any pregnant woman, but they are completely harmless."

"That's great, does that mean I can take Shane home?" Oliver inquired with hopeful eyes as he lovingly held Shane's hand.

"Yes, however Shane's blood pressure has been slightly elevated since she arrived. It could very well be stress related due to the contractions she was experiencing, but I don't want to take any chances that it's something more." She paused before continuing to allow Shane and Oliver a moment to grasp what she was saying. "I'm going to send you home, but I want you on bed rest for the next couple of days and then I want to see you in my office on Tuesday. Your feet need to be elevated as much as possible and I only want you to get up if absolutely necessary."

"I understand, Dr. Mills. I'll do whatever you tell me to do in order to make sure my baby is okay." Shane absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. She hated feeling helpless, but she wasn't going to risk anything happening to her baby girl. Oliver exchanged a look with the good doctor, giving her a silent promise that he would make sure Shane followed her orders. Dr. Mills nodded and then gave them further instructions to follow before walking out of the room to get Shane's discharge papers prepared.

"I know you're worried, Shane, but I believe in my heart that our little girl will be okay." Oliver sat on the bed and held her close, trying to give her the reassurance he knew she needed.

"Promise to keep me company while I'm stuck in bed?" Shane couldn't help but worry about their baby, but it was comforting to know that Oliver wouldn't let her go through this alone.

"Of course. Consider us both on bed rest." He lovingly kissed her on the lips and marveled at the feel of her in his arms. He knew that he was blessed and he thanked God for keeping his family safe. He also threw in a prayer seeking guidance, contemplating how he was going to be sure that his headstrong wife obeyed the doctor's orders.

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Next up: How will Shane handle being on bed rest?

Author's Note: Shane and the baby will be fine, no need to worry.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from** _ **Signed, Sealed Delivered**_ **, they belong to the wonderfully talented Martha Williamson. In addition, I do not own** _ **Titanic**_ **or any of the characters within it.**

 **Thank you so much to everyone for the continued support! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

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 **Chapter 8**

Shane read the same page of her book for the second time, however she couldn't concentrate and the words weren't registering. She put the novel down on the nightstand and picked up a magazine of crossword puzzles that Oliver had picked up for her, thumbing through the pages to see if anything piqued her interest. Dissatisfied with her findings, she tossed the magazine on the bed in frustration and then shifted her weight at an attempt to get more comfortable. Her daughter's foot was jabbed painfully in her ribs and she had to go to the bathroom again. To say that Shane was cranky would be a gross understatement.

A couple of days after her hospital scare, Shane followed up with her doctor to have her blood pressure re-evaluated. Unfortunately it was still elevated and she had been experiencing sporadic contractions, which warranted the continued bed rest until further notice. Oliver had stayed home with her for the past week, but she was insistent that he go back to work so that he could save his vacation time for after the baby was born. She missed him dearly, however a part of her was relieved to get some time to herself. It had been hard to breathe with Oliver constantly watching her and not allowing her to lift a finger. She knew he was just trying to help her, but his overprotectiveness was smothering her independence.

Today was Shane's first day home alone and she was already going out of her mind with boredom. There was nothing on TV, she wasn't in the mood to read and she didn't know if she wanted to scream at someone or break down crying. Her hormones were in overdrive on all accounts and she had no outlet to release her grievances.

Although Oliver had only been gone for a couple of hours, he had already called her twice and would be coming home on his lunch break to check on her. Shane's mixed emotions about her husband's persistent coddling made her both irritated and, unsurprisingly, incredibly lustful. She thought maybe she could convince him to help ease some of her discomfort when he got home, but then remembered her doctor's orders to avoid intimate relations until advised otherwise.

Shane would do anything in the world to ensure her daughter's safety and knew her baby was worth any sacrifice she had to make. Be that as it may, she found it incredibly difficult to lie next to Oliver every night, knowing they were unable to enrapture themselves in their love for one another the way she yearned to. Shane had tired herself out from too much thinking and decided to try to get a nap in before Oliver came home for lunch. She curled up on her side, her belly resting on a pillow for added support, and succumbed to her exhaustion.

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Oliver walked inside of his house and was greeted with silence. "Shane, I'm home." He announced, awaiting her response but also wanting to alert her of his presence. He tried not to be alarmed when he didn't hear a reply back, however his concern for her and their baby had been heightened after their hospital visit. He hated leaving her today, or any day for that matter, and was hoping she wouldn't be upset with him for taking off the rest of the week without consulting her first. Shane had wanted him to save his hours for after their daughter was born, however he had accrued more than enough vacation hours. She had been unwilling to listen to reason when he'd tried bringing that fact up to her last Friday, so he had conceded with her and agreed to go back to work this week.

Once Oliver had walked out of the house this morning, he couldn't think straight. The only thing on his mind was Shane. What if she started having contractions again and couldn't get to her phone? Since she wasn't supposed to be on her feet for long periods of time, how would she make herself something to eat? Surely she would get hungry before he came home for lunch. Maybe she would get cold and her blanket would be out of reach. She could get hurt if she tried to strain herself too far. These concerns along with so many more passed through his mind on his way to the DLO and hadn't ceased once he began working. He knew his worrying had rendered him useless and even Norman and Rita told him he should be at home. He had made up his mind and cleared his time off with his boss before quickly rushing off to be with his wife.

Oliver made his way to the bedroom he shared with Shane and spied her curled up on her side fast asleep. His heart leapt in his throat at the site before him and he ached to hold her close. His deep love for her will never cease to amaze him and he will never tire of showing her just how very precious she is to him. He checked his pocket watch and noted that it was only just after 11:00am. He didn't have the heart to wake her, however he needed to be close to her. He quickly yet quietly changed out of his suit and into lounge pants and a t-shirt before strolling over to his side of the bed and climbing in. Once he laid down he carefully maneuvered his body as close to her as possible, draping his arm protectively over her and cradling her belly. He was thankful that she didn't stir and was soon lulled to sleep by her soft breathing.

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Shane awoke to Oliver's breath tickling her ear and the feel of the rise and fall of his chest against her back. His arm was securely wrapped around her and she couldn't help but get lost in his tender embrace. She intertwined her fingers in his and brought his hand to her lips, placing a soft kiss upon it before bringing it to rest just over her heart. She glanced at the alarm clock and noticed that it was already after noon and wondered how long her husband had been home. Surely he should be getting back to work soon or he would have to stay at the DLO later than normal.

Shane carefully shifted so her back was flush against the mattress and was surprised that her less than agile movements didn't wake Oliver. He was normally a very light sleeper, however she knew that he hadn't been getting very much rest lately because of his concern for her and their baby. He tried to hide his exhaustion from her, but she could see it when she looked at him and it tormented her that she was unable to do anything to ease his worry.

She gazed at his handsome face, so peaceful and perfect as he slept soundly. She gently stroked his cheeks, running her fingertips to trace his brows and then down to his soft, kissable lips. This wonderful man meant everything to her and she was ashamed that she had been angry with him for being overprotective. She knew that he would do anything in the world for her and she was beyond lucky to be able to call him her husband. Her heart raced faster as her longing for him took over and she brought her lips to his for a chaste kiss. As she went to pull away, Oliver's lips responded back and deepened their lip lock, his hand instantly cupping the back of her head and becoming entangled in her hair. Their lips battled for control, arms and legs becoming weaved together in order to bring their bodies closer together.

When they parted, blue eyes met blue and they lovingly gazed at each other while they both worked to control their breathing. "I can't think of a better way to be woken up then your lips touching mine." Oliver teased as he gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind Shane's ear, his words and touch eliciting a blush on her cheeks. "I've missed you today. This is the longest we've been away from each other in quite awhile and I despised every second of it."

"I feel the same way, Oliver." She leaned into him and gave him a short, but sweet kiss. "As much as I would love to get lost in you for the rest of the day, shouldn't you be getting back to work?"

"Actually I'm not going anywhere today." He swallowed hard before he continued and prayed she wouldn't be upset with him. "I know I agreed to go back to work this week and I promise you that I tried my best to fulfill that request, but Shane I just can't do it."

Shane opened her mouth to speak and Oliver kissed her passionately to momentarily silence her. When they separated she was out of sorts and Oliver took advantage of her being rendered speechless in order to plead his case. "Before you say anything, please hear me out." She sighed deeply and nodded her head for him to continue. "I have accumulated a large amount of vacation and sick time that will allow me to take off this week and also however long I want in order to spend time with you and our daughter after she's born. Even by taking all of that time, I will still have a ridiculous amount of hours left over." He pulled her hands to his lips and gently kissed each one of them, never breaking eye contact with her. "I don't just want to be here, I _need_ to be here, Shane. I feel useless right now and I beg of you to let me take care of you. Please don't make me leave you."

"Oliver, I'm not going to make you leave me." She reassured him, heartbroken by the look in his pleading eyes. She felt awful for making him feel that she didn't want him here and wished that she would have heard him out the other day when he'd suggested taking more time off. "I know that this has been hard on you, too, and I'm so sorry for snapping at you as much as I have lately. I'm not exactly behaving like myself and I know I've been taking you for granted." She took his face in her hands and looked deeply in his eyes. "I love you so very much, Oliver O'Toole, and there's no place I'd rather have you be than by my side. I would be honored to have you stay home with me this week, or however long is needed, to take care of me."

Oliver flashed her his signature boyish grin and then pulled her into his arms. "I love you more than words can ever describe." He whispered in her ear and held her close to him, their moment soon interrupted by Shane's growling stomach. "I believe that's my cue to get lunch started." They laughed together as Oliver climbed out of bed.

"I'm going to get out of bed and move onto the couch. My back is achy from laying in bed all day and I could really use a change of scenery." Shane moved to get up and Oliver was quickly at her side to help her stand. "Besides, I need a distraction, Mr. O'Toole. Lying here with you has had me contemplating what I wish we could be doing, so I desperately need to get out of our bedroom."

Oliver had to fight the urge to take her back to bed and he pushed his desperate need for her to the back of his mind. He knew that for the time being it wasn't an option and he needed to be the stronger one for her sake. "Well Mrs. O'Toole, when the time comes that we're given the green light from Dr. Mills, I can assure you that I will make it worth the wait." He kissed her on the forehead and then took her hand in his. "What do you say I make you lunch and then you and I curl up together and watch a movie?"

"I think that sounds absolutely perfect." They exchanged loving smiles and left their room hand in hand, both looking forward to spending some quality time together.

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Oliver and Shane were now enjoying their third movie together and both were unwilling to move from their comfortable position. Shane was sitting up against the the arm of the couch with her legs stretched out and Oliver lay nestled in front of her, his head resting against her stomach. They were nearing the end when he heard sobbing coming from behind him. He immediately turned around and was met with the tear-stained face of his beautiful wife. "Shane, what is it? Are you okay?" He was ready to pounce off the couch and call an ambulance if needed as his anxiety took over.

"He—he died, Oliver!" Shane was almost inconsolable as her words came out in choppy pieces. "How could she have let him go?!" It took Oliver a moment to register that Shane's tears were a result of the movie they had been viewing. He never should have let her convince him to watch _Titanic-_ obviously the ending was not going to be a happy one. "Oliver, please know that I could never let you go like that! Rose doesn't love Jack the way that I love you!"

"Ssshhh, it's okay." He paused the movie and then quickly sat up and pulled her into his arms. "I know you wouldn't, sweetie. I know that you love me." He tried his best to keep her calm and soothingly rubbed her back. "Why don't we turn the movie off and go get some sleep. It's getting late and I'm looking forward to holding you for the rest of the night." He pulled back so he could look her in the eye and then gently wiped her tears away.

"Okay, Oliver." She sniffled and started to calm down as she came to her senses. "You always know what to say to make me feel better." She placed a sensual kiss on his lips. "Let's go to bed." Though temporarily unable to fully express their love for each other, both knew how incredibly blessed they were to be able to spend a lifetime holding each other close every night for the rest of their lives.

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Up Next: Shane's baby shower


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the wonderfully talented Martha Williamson._

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Chapter 9

Shane was now only six weeks away from her due date and Dr. Mills had finally pulled her off of bed rest a couple of days prior. Her blood pressure was back to normal and she had not experienced any contractions in over a week, so she was given the green light to proceed with normal day to day activities. There were of course a few restrictions, however Shane didn't complain about following them since the most important restraint had been lifted. Not having to hold back her desire for her husband is something she will never take for granted.

Today was Shane's baby shower and Rita was hosting the event at her home. She was excited to finally be getting out of the house and couldn't wait to indulge in some much needed girl talk. Shane had just gotten out of the shower and began getting dressed, then realized that she had forgotten to pick out her outfit for the party. She tried on a couple of dresses and soon became discouraged when she discovered that they were all far too small. While she was on bed rest, she mostly lounged around in her pajamas and hadn't been able to update her maternity clothes to match her growing belly. Desperation began to take over as she hopelessly rummaged through her clothes and prayed she would find a hidden gem amongst the expanding pile on the floor.

Oliver walked into the master bedroom and found his scantily clad wife frantically tossing clothes out of the walk-in closet. He could see that she was frustrated, however he couldn't understand what would make her so upset that she'd tear apart her wardrobe wearing only her undergarments. "Shane, is something the matter?" He cautiously asked as he slowly approached her. "Can I assist you with anything?"

"I have absolutely nothing to wear, Oliver." Shane stopped what she was doing and turned to face her husband with tears filling her eyes. "My baby shower is in a couple of hours and it looks like I'll be wearing maternity yoga pants and a sweater." She trembled with frustration and began to cry.

"Sweetheart, it's okay." Oliver's arms were instantly wrapped around her and she buried her head in his chest. He soothingly rubbed her back with one hand and used the other one to lovingly cradle her head to his body.

"I keep getting bigger while my clothes keep getting smaller." Her sobs dampened his shirt and she clutched him tightly. "I'm sure you're not even attracted to me anymore!"

Oliver pulled back slightly so that he could look into her eyes and gently cupped her face with one hand. "How could you ever think that? You are the most beautiful woman I've ever been privy to lay my eyes on." He placed his hands fondly on her tummy. "When I look at you, a sense of pride washes over me because I know that our love created this precious life. You have no idea just how breathtaking you are, my love." He gave her a flirtatious smirk and raised his eyebrows suggestively. "As a matter of fact, at the moment I'm finding it rather difficult to refrain from showing you exactly how insatiable you are to me."

Shane's pulse quickened as her agony was replaced by her passion for Oliver. His eyes were sensually dancing over every inch of her causing her knees to grow weaker by the minute. If Oliver hadn't have been holding her in his arms she surely wouldn't be able to stand on her own. "You have no idea what you do to me." Her lips were on his in an instant and she pulled him as close to her as humanly possible.

"I think I have a pretty good idea." He whispered into her lips before claiming them as his once again. The earth shattering kiss ended far too soon, their foreheads touching and their breathing labored. "If we don't stop this right now, you're going to miss your own baby shower." He hated being the voice of reason, especially when it came to his desire for her. "I vow to you that we will finish what we started tonight and I will make it worth the torturous wait."

"I will hold you to that, Mr. Toole." Shane couldn't help but blush in anticipation of his promise for their night together.

"I expect nothing less, Mrs. O'Toole." Oliver pulled back from her and kissed her hand before walking into the closet and pulling out a garment bag hidden behind one of his suits. "Now, I believe I have the perfect solution for your ensemble dilemma." He laid his gift on the bed and unzipped it for her to reveal a beautiful pink floral lace maternity dress.

"Oh, Oliver, it's beautiful!" Shane gasped with elation and held the dress up in front of her. "How did you do this?" She carefully slipped on the dress and Oliver assisted with zipping up the back. It was a perfect fit and complimented her baby bump.

"Well, I knew you were unable to go shopping and I wanted you to feel special today." Oliver beamed with pride and gazed appreciatively at Shane's beauty. "Rita helped me pick it out. I hope it's okay I—"

Shane cut him off by brushing her lips against his and possessively draping her arms around his neck. "It's absolutely perfect. Thank you for always knowing exactly what I need." They held each other for a little while longer until Oliver reminded Shane that the baby shower was fast approaching. As she walked towards the bathroom to finish getting ready, she stopped and gave her husband one last glance. She would never be able to thank God enough for the wonderful man she was delighted to call hers.

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The O'Toole's arrived at the Dorman's home just a few minutes before the baby shower was to begin. Oliver was picking up Norman and Francis to accompany them to the zoo, which offered a reasonable excuse for him to drive Shane to the party. The further along that Shane got in her pregnancy, the more Oliver's overprotective side took over. He found himself watching her as though she were a ticking time bomb set to go off at any moment. He couldn't even imagine the intensity he would feel when her due date arrived.

Norman opened the door for Oliver and Shane before they even had a chance to knock. The look in his eyes spoke volumes—he was ready to get out of the house. He greeted his friends and then moved aside so that they could come in. Oliver noticed that the house was bustling with female movement and instantly noted the reasoning behind Norman's anxiousness.

"There's my sweet daughter!" Shane was quickly pulled into the welcoming arms of her Mother. "You look absolutely gorgeous!" She lovingly placed her hands on Shane's stomach and then turned to Oliver. "I love the dress, Oliver. I knew it would be perfect on her!" Oliver blushed with pride as he hugged his Mother in-law.

Margaret cherished Oliver and knew that there was no man in the world better for her daughter than him. A couple of months ago, he had called her just to check on her and they ended up having an unexpected heart to heart conversation. She confessed to him how badly she missed Shane and how worried she was that she wouldn't get a chance to really get to know her granddaughter because of how far away she lived. Oliver had convinced her to consider moving to Denver and even offered to hire movers for her. After a few days of thinking through her son in-law's idea, she called him up and told him she had just put her condo on the market. Margaret had requested that Oliver keep her move a secret from Shane so that she could surprise her in person. She officially became a Denver resident a month ago and Shane couldn't be happier to have her Mom living so close.

"I agree, Mom, Shane looks breathtaking in this dress. But then again, she always takes my breath away." Oliver gazed adoringly at his wife in such a way that she immediately blushed. She kissed his cheek and gave him a look of appreciation and then noticed a couple of cars pulling up outside. As much as Oliver hated leaving his wife, he knew that the rest of the baby shower guests would be arriving momentarily and thought it best to leave before that time came. Brief greetings were exchanged between Oliver and the other women present before he placed a soft kiss on Shane's lips and then parted with the Dorman boys.

About an hour later, the baby shower was in full swing and Shane finally sat down on the loveseat in the family room. She had been on her feet longer today than she had in the past few weeks and she knew it was time to take a break. She took in her surroundings and sighed contentedly to herself, resting her hand protectively over her daughter. So far her baby shower had been a success and she was enjoying spending time with her family and friends. She was also quite thankful that Rita had kept the party games to a minimum and had relinquished the game of guessing how big her baby bump was.

"Deep in thought, little sis?" Shane's mind was somewhere else and she hadn't even noticed Alex sit down next to her.

"I was just thinking about how much my life has changed in the past few years." She looked at Alex with happy tears in her eyes. "I never thought I would have all of this: the most perfect husband, a baby girl on the way and a second chance with my big sister." Shane grabbed Alex's hand and turned to face her. "I'm so proud of you for how far you've come and I can't thank you enough for being here today."

"There's no place I'd rather be. And when that baby comes, I'll be on the first flight out to Denver to meet my niece." Alex hugged Shane, beyond thankful that she could share this moment with her. For the first time in a long time, Alex finally felt that her life had stability. She had given up gambling for good, although she still attended regular Gambler's Anonymous meetings to help with those sudden urges. She had met a wonderful man that she'd recently moved in with and she often traveled all over the world with him on business. However of all these positive things going on in her life, the one she was most happy about was her reconciliation with Shane.

"I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see my girls together like this!" Margaret exclaimed as she approached her daughters. She sat down on the other side of Shane and enveloped her girls in warm hug. "We've all come such a long way and I'm so blessed to be your Mom." The three McInerney women continued to reminisce, sharing stories of the past and hopes for the future. Their moment was cut short when all of the women began gathering in the room.

"It's present time!" Rita joyfully clapped her hands together as she and Hazel began placing the gifts in front of Shane.

"Open mine first!" Hazel gleefully handed Shane her gift bag and anxiously waited for her to open it. Shane pulled out the purple tissue paper and reached inside the bag. She received a package of newborn diapers, various baby towels and washcloths and a pink onesie with a stork on it with the words "Special Delivery" written underneath it. Shane knew that her husband would especially enjoy this sentiment. She thanked Hazel and continued diving into the mountain of gifts.

"Oh Rita, this is beautiful!" She held up the tiny blue and pink dress adjourned with owls and the ladies in the room squealed with delight at how adorable it was.

"I'm going to make sure that Charlotte has a deep love for owls, just like her Aunt Rita." Rita shyly stated, pushing her glasses up and blushing slightly.

Shane could hardly believe how many gifts she had received for her daughter. She now had everything from nail clippers to baby shampoo to more onesies than she knew what to do with. She also received many treasures that she would be able to enjoy for many years to come. Alex had made Shane a scrapbook, leaving empty slots on each page for special pictures and moments to be captured throughout Charlotte's life. Margaret made her granddaughter a beautiful pink quilt with yellow roses on it and her name stitched in the middle.

At the end of the baby shower, most of the guests had left but Alex and Margaret stayed to help Rita clean up. They were all insistent that Shane sit on the couch and would not allow her to help in any way. After everything was back to normal in the Dorman home, aside from the baby gifts scattered through the family room, it was time for Shane's Mom and sister to leave. Alex had an early morning flight and Margaret would be taking her to the airport. They said their reluctant goodbyes and Rita walked them to the door, soon joining her best friend on the couch once they left.

"Rita, thank you for today. You made everything so special and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to celebrate my baby." Shane hugged Rita close and couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "My daughter is lucky to have her Auntie Rita."

"Oh Shane, I love you and my niece to pieces. I'll always be there for both of you." Rita's eyes also quickly filled with tears. "I'm going to spoil the heck out of this baby!"

"Mommy!" Rita and Shane turned towards the door and soon noticed little Francis toddling over towards them. Rita picked up her son and showered him with kisses as he told her all about his day at the zoo with Daddy and Uncle Oliver.

Norman watched the scene unfold as Oliver looked at Shane and instantly saw the exhaustion etched in her face. He made a mental note to give her a foot massage later and hopefully convince her to take it easy for the rest of the night. Norman helped Oliver carry the gifts to the car and they barely managed to fit everything in there that Shane had received for the baby. Soon after, thank yous and goodbyes were exchanged between the Dorman's and the O'Toole's, Oliver determined to get his wife home for some much needed time alone.

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Oliver had just finished bringing in the last of the baby gifts and went into the master bedroom, hoping to find his wife laying down. Once they got home, Shane had agreed to go change into her pajamas while Oliver unloaded the car. She was supposed to be waiting for him in their room so that he could give her a massage. He was disappointed to find his wife absent and soon began scouting the house for her. He didn't have to search long as he noticed the light coming from the nursery. He walked inside and found Shane sitting in the rocking chair holding a stuffed teddy bear. She looked completely serene and hadn't noticed his presence yet. He made his way to her and then sat down on the ottoman in front of her, taking her hands in his own.

"I feel like I'm in a wonderful dream, Oliver." Shane broke the silence and looked into Oliver's eyes. "When I first met you, I felt this pull towards you that I couldn't explain. You frustrated me more than anyone I had ever met and yet I found myself looking forward to going to work every day just so that I could see you. Once I admitted my feelings for you to myself, there was no going back and you became my dream." She smiled at him and he leaned in to kiss her tenderly. "Thank you for making my dream a reality."

"Shane, it is I that should be thanking you. You gave me my life back and I will spend every day for the rest of my life showing you just how grateful I am for you. I love you more than life itself." Oliver stood and then graciously helped Shane to her feet, his lips immediately seeking hers as he pulled her body tightly to his. Their passion for each other was evident in their embrace and both were unable to get enough of the other.

"I believe you made me a promise this morning, Mr. O'Toole." Shane muttered close to his lips. "Something about 'finishing what we started' and it would be 'worth the wait'." She pulled back and looked at him, pure mischief dancing in her eyes.

Oliver gulped in anticipation, his heart racing at his wife's words. "Are you sure you aren't too tired? I know you've had a long day." He worked hard to keep the longing out of his voice. He didn't want Shane to think she would be disappointing him if she just wanted to get some rest.

"I've been looking forward to you making due on your promise all day." Shane leaned into his ear and seductively whispered. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for." She slowly brushed her lips up against his and then unexpectedly pulled away, leaving Oliver yearning for more. She gently grabbed his hand before leading him out of the room, both anxious to get reacquainted with each other.

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Up Next: The final countdown has begun before baby O'Toole's arrival!


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the wonderfully, talented Martha Williamson.**_

Author's Note: Here is the final chapter of _Timing is Everything._

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Chapter 10

The alarm clock was set to go off in an hour, however Shane couldn't sleep any longer. Her baby girl was due in ten days and getting comfortable had become quite challenging. She looked over at Oliver and found that he was still fast asleep. He had been putting in a lot of extra hours at the DLO in order to make sure they were all caught up before their upcoming extended absence.

Dr. Mills was allowing her to still work until the baby's arrival under the condition that she stay off of her feet as much as possible. In addition, Oliver was insistent that she only work half days, which meant he was dropping her off at home on their lunch break. Shane hated being away from her husband for so long every day, but knew that she shouldn't push herself too much this late in her pregnancy.

Shane pulled the covers back and used her hands to help push herself up into a sitting position. She rubbed her lower back to help ease some of the aching and then moved her legs to the side of the bed and slowly got up.

Today was one of those days that she did not enjoy being pregnant. She hardly slept last night, her ankles were swollen and she was feeling nauseous. To top it all off, she thought that her daughter must be putting pressure on one of her nerves as she had been having intense back spasms for the past couple of hours.

Shane slowly made her way to the bathroom, deciding that maybe a warm shower would help ease some of her discomfort. She must have stayed in there longer than she anticipated because the next thing she knew, the water was getting cold. Just as she was drying off, she heard soft knocking at the door.

"Shane? Are you okay?" She could sense the concern in Oliver's voice and knew he was fighting the urge to open the door to check on her. Shane wrapped her towel around herself and then opened the door for her husband.

"I'm fine, Oliver." She reassuringly caressed his face and then placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" Oliver was not convinced and searched his wife's face for any sign that something was wrong. "I heard the shower turn on, but that was half an hour ago."

"I just didn't sleep very well and my body is achy." She tried her best to reassure him and decided to leave out the back spasms. She didn't want to worry him more than he already was. "I thought that the warm shower would help, which it did a little."

"Shane, maybe it's best that you stay home today." He sympathetically brought his hands up to her shoulders and massaged them gently, hoping to relieve some of her discomfort. "Norman, Rita and I can handle things at the DLO."

"Oliver, there are a few things I need to research with Ally's letter. I have a couple of ideas that I want to look into and if I'm right, that letter will be delivered by the end of the day." She ran her hands slowly up and down his chest and flirtatiously whispered in his ear. "Please?"

"Alright, I suppose you win this round, Mrs. O'Toole." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a slow, sensual kiss. "You had better get dressed before I try to convince you that we should both stay home today." Shane giggled before placing one last kiss on Oliver's lips and then retreating to the other room to get dressed for the day.

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A few hours later, Shane's hunch had paid off and the POstables had enough information to deliver Ally's letter. There was a snowstorm coming in, so Oliver wanted to get the letter delivered as soon as possible so that he could then send everyone home early before the roads got bad. He was insistent that Shane stay at the DLO and opted to take Norman with him instead.

"Please be careful, Oliver." Shane's eyes were filled with concern as she hugged her husband goodbye.

"I will, my love." He kissed her forehead and lovingly placed his hand on her belly. "As soon as we return, I'm taking you home and we'll spend the rest of the day together." He gave her one last lingering kiss before leaving with Norman.

An hour had passed and Shane and Rita were busy sorting while anxiously awaiting the return of their husbands. Shane couldn't concentrate on the task at hand and began pacing the room, rubbing her lower back in the process as she felt pain radiate through her body. This time, however, she felt it primarily in her stomach and stopped in her tracks. She came to the realization that those "back spasms" she had been feeling throughout the day were actually back labor.

"Oh no…" Shane grasped onto a nearby table and started to panic. She was in labor and her husband wasn't here.

"Shane, what is it?" Rita was by her side in an instant and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Well, Rita, I think I'm in labor." Her breathing increased while she tried to focus and stay calm. "But these things take time, right? I mean, some women are in labor for hours." Shane looked to her friend for some much needed reassurance.

"Exactly! When you got pregnant, I read all kinds of books about pregnancy and labor just in case you would ever need my help in a situation like this. I know it's important to time how far apart your contractions are and then we'll get you to the hospital as soon as Oliver and Norman get back." Rita kept her voice cheerful and positive in an effort to keep Shane relaxed. "Besides, your water hasn't broken yet so we should have plenty of time."

As soon as Rita said the words, Shane looked down at the trickle of fluid running down her legs and puddling on the floor. "Umm Rita, about that—my water just broke!" Rita's eyes grew to the size of saucers and she was momentarily at a loss for words.

"O-okay." Rita gulped loudly and worked hard to gain her composure. "Let's get you seated and then I'll call Oliver. That cell phone you convinced him to get will prove to be useful." She helped Shane to a chair and then quickly picked up the phone to call Oliver. Rita couldn't get through, so she picked up Shane's cell phone off of the desk and tried to reach him again. "I'm, uh, not getting a signal."

"Oh no!" Shane immediately started to cry. "The baby's coming and Oliver's not here! What if something happened to them? They've been gone a really long time and there's a storm comi—". Another contraction ripped through her body and interrupted her thought process.

"Shane, focus on your breathing." Rita made her way back over to Shane and offered her hand to her, which she willingly took until the pain subsided. "I have my car here, I can drive you to the hospital and we can leave a note for Oliver to meet us there."

"I just want to wait a little bit longer, Rita." Shane's bottom lip trembled and she attempted to hold back the tears that continued to fall.

"What's wrong with Shane?" Norman's voice was music to Rita's ears as she turned to look towards the door to see her curious husband and an anxious Oliver walking in.

"Her water broke." Rita informed them with urgency present in her voice. Oliver was rushing over to Shane immediately, however Norman still stood there with a look of confusion etched on his face.

"Oh, well that's no problem. I have some cash, I'll just get her another one from the vending machine." Norman took out his wallet and began getting his money out.

"No Norman, her WATER broke!" Rita emphasized her words in an attempt to get her husband to understand what was going on. Norman's brows furrowed, obviously not clear on what his wife was telling him. "Shane's in labor!"

"I guess I won't be needing my wallet for that." Norman awkwardly put his wallet away and remained alert and ready to help in any way he could.

"Shane, sweetheart, I'm here." Oliver kneeled before Shane, took her hand in his and placed a soft kiss on her fingers.

"Oliver, you were gone for so long, I was so worried you'd miss this." She brought her hand up to cradle the side of his face and gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. Oliver leaned into her touch and used his free hand to grasp the back of her head and pulled her closer until their foreheads were resting against each other.

"Nothing in this world could ever keep me from witnessing the birth of our daughter." He smiled at her with so much love in his eyes she thought her heart would burst, soon kissing her with a fervor that mirrored his gaze. "I love you, Shane. Let's go have a baby."

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The ride to the hospital had been difficult and took much longer than Oliver anticipated. It had started to snow and traffic was more congested than usual as people rushed to get home before the storm hit. To make matters worse, the frequency of Shane's contractions had increased and Oliver was unable to focus on comforting her. He was relieved when they pulled up to the hospital and were able to get a close parking spot. He helped Shane get out of the car and the two expectant parents made their way into the hospital.

Oliver was glad that he had thought to call Dr. Mills ahead of time to alert her that Shane was in labor. As soon as they walked inside the hospital, the good doctor had already procured a room for Shane and she was immediately taken back to get settled. Once she had changed into a hospital gown, Shane was examined and informed that she was five centimeters dilated. The nurse hooked Shane up to various monitors to keep an eye on her and the baby and also started an IV to to administer fluids. She left the room and advised that she would be back shortly to check on Shane.

As soon as the nurse left, there was a soft knock at the door before Rita and Margaret walked in to check on the mommy-to-be. Rita had brought Shane her overnight bag, which she and Norman had gone to retrieve for her while Oliver took Shane to the hospital. After offering Shane words of encouragement and love, they excused themselves and retreated to the waiting room to join Norman and Joe.

Oliver and Shane were finally alone in the room while they awaited the birth of their daughter. Oliver could see how tired his wife was getting from the intensity of the contractions and he wished that he could do something more to help her. Shane's face contorted in pain as she tightly clutched his hand while Oliver watched to monitor measuring the contraction.

"Oliver, I can't do this." Shane was weeping and she felt even more exhausted than she'd ever been in her whole life. She had opted to deliver her baby naturally, however she was having a hard time focusing on anything but the excruciating pain taking over her body every few minutes. "It hurts so bad." She clutched his shirt and buried her head in his chest.

"Sshhhh…you can do this." Oliver whispered in her ear as he lovingly rubbed her back and held her close. He pulled back slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear and wiped the tears off of her cheeks. "You, Shane O'Toole, are the strongest woman—no, scratch that. You're the strongest _person_ I know. I can't even begin to imagine the pain you're in, sweetheart, and I know that you're tired. But I believe in you and I know you can do this."

"I love y—-ahhh!" Shane curled up against Oliver and closed her eyes tightly. The contractions were every couple of minutes now and lasting longer.

"Focus on your breathing, Shane. It's almost over." Oliver's soothing voice was helping Shane to get through the pain. He always had a way of knowing and doing precisely what she needed.

Dr. Mills walked in the room and told them she needed to check Shane. She had been keeping an eye on the contractions from the monitor at the nurse's station and had a feeling it may be time for Shane to start pushing. Her suspicions proved to be correct and Shane was now ten centimeters dilated. She paged a couple of nurses to join her in the delivery room as it was now time for Shane to push.

"This is it, Oliver." Shane's nervous laugh brought a smile to Oliver's face. This woman, his beautiful wife and mother of his child, was the most incredible creature he'd ever laid eyes on. She was sweaty and her makeup had long worn off. Her hair was messy and sticking to her forehead. The bags and dark circles under her eyes spoke volumes of her exhaustion. But to Oliver, she was gorgeous, magnificent and perfect in every way.

"I love you, Shane, and I'm so proud of you." He adjusted his hand so that Shane had the firmest grip possible on it. "Squeeze my hand as hard as you want. I'm here with you—forever." Oliver kissed her forehead and then pushed her hair back behind her and out of her face.

Once Dr. Mills had everything prepared for the delivery, she helped Shane to position herself to push while the nurses stood by. The next contraction hit Shane and she was instructed to push through it. She was only given a short amount of time to recover before it was time to repeat the process, each time having to push longer.

Shane continued in this fashion for thirty minutes before the doctor could finally see the baby's head. She had a moment before the next contraction would be upon her and she was feeling utterly discouraged. Oliver knew exactly what his wife was thinking and wanted to switch places with her to take her pain away.

"You're almost there, my love. Just a few more pushes and Charlotte will be here." Oliver leaned towards Shane and gently kissed her lips while placing his unoccupied hand on her belly. "You are always putting everyone's needs before your own. You are loving, brave, kind, selfless—the list goes on. You're my hero, Shane, and our daughter is lucky to have you as her Mommy." His encouraging words gave Shane the strength to keep going.

After a few more tiring pushes, Dr. Mills told Shane that all she needed was one more big push and the baby's head would be out. She held Oliver's hand even tighter and looked deeply into his eyes. "I wouldn't want to be sharing this moment with anyone but you."

The final contraction was upon Shane and she pushed with everything she had in her. Moments later, a baby's cries filled the room and Shane collapsed against the pillows. The baby was instantly placed on top of Shane's chest as Oliver cut the umbilical cord.

Oliver and Shane were both crying tears of joy and marveled in each and every feature of their precious baby girl. From her tiny nose, kissable cheeks and ten fingers and toes—they loved every part of her and she was absolutely perfect. The new parents had a couple of minutes with her before the nurse gently took Charlotte to have her checked out. Oliver followed his daughter while the other nurse and Dr. Mills helped to get Shane cleaned up. After months of waiting, Charlotte Rose O'Toole, weighing in at 7lbs 4oz and 21in long, was finally here.

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As soon as Shane and Charlotte were cleaned up, Shane's hospital room was bustling with activity. Grandpa Joe and Grandma Margaret came in bearing flowers for Shane and gifts for Charlotte, already eager to spoil their granddaughter. "Uncle" Norman and "Aunt" Rita were excited to officially use their bestowed upon titles as they got to meet their "niece" for the first time. Even Aunt Alex made a late appearance, having hopped on a flight as soon as she heard that Shane was in labor. It had been a wonderful day, however the recently expanded O'Toole family was happy to finally be alone together for the very first time.

Shane had just finished nursing their baby daughter and Oliver looked on in awe as he watched his wife's instant attachment to motherhood. God had bestowed upon him the greatest gift in the world when he sent Shane down the path that led to him. This moment, this feeling would be stored away in Oliver's heart and soul, right next to the day he married Shane, as the most precious he'd ever had in his life.

"She's our miracle, Oliver. Can you believe that we made her?" Shane asked as Oliver carefully sat down next to her on the bed. He helped her readjust herself so that she was partially leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter—his family— and leaned down to kiss Charlotte's forehead.

"Oh yes, I can believe it." Oliver kissed Shane's lips slowly and tenderly. "She's perfect in every way, just like her Mommy."

As Shane relaxed in her husband's arms while holding their daughter in her own, she said a silent prayer to God and thanked him for answering her letter. It took some time, but her family was worth the wait.

THE END

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Author's Note: Thank you so much for everyone's support! This was my very first SSD fanfic and I'm so grateful to all of you for your reviews and words of encouragement.


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